Template-independent synthesis of guanosine tetra- and pentaphosphates on ribosomes.

It is shown that Escherichia coli ribosomes carrying poly(Lys)-tRNA can form (p)ppGpp in the presence of stringent factor in the absence of the poly(A) template. Template-independent synthesis of (p)ppGpp is suppressed by tetracycline and partially decreases if deacylated tRNA is omitted.