Evidence that Escherichia coli 30 S ribosomal subunit populations are conformationally heterogeneous

tRNA binding modifies the properties of the small ribosomal subunit of rat liver

The binding of a specific tRNA (acylated or not) to the 40S subunits in the presence of the proper codon was shown to produce two striking effects on the subunits. First, the subunits were no longer able to dimerize at low ionic strength. Second, they became fully resistant to 1.25 M LiCl treatment: bound tRNA prevented subunit inactivation as measured by polyphenylalanine synthesis; it also prevented large sedimentation changes of subunits and ribosomal protein release induced by LiCl. The number of protected proteins far exceeded that of the proteins crosslinked with tRNA after irradiation at 254 nm (A.M. REBOUD, S. DUBOST and J.P. REBOUD (1983) FEBS Lett. 158, 285-288). These results strongly suggest that tRNA binding induces modifications of rRNA-protein interactions in large domains of the subunits. A weak interaction of tRNA with the 40S subunit was demonstrated in the absence of the codon.

Three-dimensional reconstruction of the 30 S ribosomal subunit from randomly oriented particles

Electron micrographs show the small (30 S) subunit of Escherichia coli ribosomes lying in a wide range of positions on the specimen support, related by rotation principally around the long axis of the particle. Through correspondence analysis, a multivariate statistical method that distinguishes the major factors accounting for interimage variance, the (aligned) views of the randomly oriented particles were ordered and grouped according to tilt angle. Views so grouped were then averaged and used as input to a three-dimensional reconstruction program. The particle reconstructed from nine averaged projections spanning a 160 degrees rotational range has a resolution of 5 nm in planes perpendicular to the long axis of the particle and approximately 3 nm in the direction of the long axis. It is somewhat asymmetrical and quite compact; its most conspicuous feature is the "platform" that wraps partially around the middle of the subunit.

Ribosomal proteins: their structure and spatial arrangement in prokaryotic ribosomes

During the last 15 years of ribosomal protein study, enormous progress has been made. Each of the proteins from E. coli ribosomes has been isolated, sequenced, and immunologically and physically characterized. Ribosomal proteins from other sources (e.g., from some bacteria, yeast, and rat) have been isolated and studied as well. Several proteins have recently been crystallized, and from the X-ray studies it is expected that much important information on the three-dimensional structure will be forthcoming. Many other proteins can probably be crystallized if suitable preparative procedures and crystallization conditions are found. Tremendous progress has also been made in deciphering the architecture of the ribosome. A battery of different methods has been used to provide the nearest neighbor distances of the ribosomal proteins in situ. Definitive measurements are now emanating from neutron-scattering experiments which also promise to give reasonably accurate radii of gyration of the proteins in situ. In turn, refined immune electron microscopy results supplement the neutron-scattering data and also position the proteins on the subunits themselves. This cannot be done by the other methods. Determination of the three-dimensional RNA structure within the ribosome is still in its infancy. Nonetheless, it is expected that by combining the data from protein-RNA and from RNA-RNA cross-linking studies, the structure of the RNA in situ can be unraveled. Of great interest is the fact that ribosomal subunits and ribosomes themselves have now been crystallized, and low-resolution structural maps have already been obtained. However, to grow suitable crystals and to resolve the ribosomal structure at a sufficiently high resolution remains a great challenge and task to biochemists and crystallographers.

Decrease in ribosomal proteins 1, 2/3, L4, and L7 in Drosophila melanogaster in the absence of X rDNA

The rRNA genes (rDNA) in Drosophila melanogaster are found in two clusters, one on the X and one on the Y chromosome. We have compared the ribosomal protein composition of wild-type Oregon-R flies containing both X-linked and Y-linked rDNA with that of flies containing only the Y-linked rDNA by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Four basic proteins (1, 2/3, L4, and L7) normally present in wild-type flies were either electrophoretically not detectable (1, 2/3, and L4) or marginally detectable (L7) in flies with only Y-linked rDNA. No additional proteins were observed in these flies. However, immunodiffusion assays using specific antibodies raised against purified protein L4 confirmed that L4 was present but in relatively lower amounts in these Y-linked rDNA flies. An investigation was carried out to determine whether these electrophoretically undetectable proteins were more readily lost during ribosome preparation and hence were not readily detectable in the 80S particles by gel electrophoresis or whether they had been modified. Thus the proteins in the post-ribosomal cell supernatant and the high salt sucrose gradient were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunochemical assays with antibodies raised against protein L4 and total 80S ribosomal proteins. The experimental evidence indicates that there is a small amount of protein L4 and probably proteins 1, 2/3, and L7 in flies with only Y-linked rDNA but significantly less of these proteins than in wild-type flies.

Synthesis of a new reagent, ethyl 4-azidobenzoylaminoacetimidate, and its use for RNA-protein cross-linking within Escherichia coli ribosomal 30-S subunits

A new reagent, ethyl 4-azidobenzoylaminoacetimidate, was prepared in a four-step synthesis starting from 4-aminobenzoic acid. This compound was used to cross-link RNA with proteins within the Escherichia coli 30-S ribosomal subunits. Following the reaction of the imidoester function with protein NH2 groups, photoactivation of the azide binds the other end of the reagent to RNA. The cross-linked proteins were labelled with 125I and identified by bidimensional gel electrophoresis. Proteins S3, S4, S5, S7, S9, S17, S18, and in a lower and more variable yield, S12, S13, S14 and S16 were bound to 16-S RNA. These results were confirmed by isolating cross-linked protein-oligonucleotide complexes from 30-S subunits containing 32P-labelled RNA.