Genetics of ribosomal components in Podospora spp. as revealed by interspecific hybridization

At least seven ribosomal proteins are involved in the control of translational accuracy in a eukaryotic organism

In the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina, ribosomal proteins of 60 mutants impaired in the control of translational fidelity have been submitted to electrophoretic analysis. The "four corners" system combining four different two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic systems has been used. An altered electrophoretic pattern has been observed for 12 mutants. In mutants su3, su12 and su11 (decreased translational fidelity), proteins S1, S7 and S8, respectively, are altered. For AS mutants (increased translational fidelity), proteins S9, S12 and S19, respectively, are altered in AS9, AS1 and AS6 mutants, and protein S29 is lacking in AS3 mutants. The data suggest that five of these genes (at least) are the structural genes for the relevant proteins (su3:S1, su12:S7, AS1:S12, AS6:S19, AS9:S9), while the AS3 gene may code for a modifying enzyme.

Identification of the structural gene for the S9 ribosomal protein in the fungus Podospora anserina: a new protein involved in the control of translational accuracy

AS9-1 was isolated as a mutation restoring growth in a strain carrying the ribosomal mutation su12-1. The AS9-1 mutation confers a weak antisuppressor effect and a low level of resistance to paromomycin. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of the ribosomal proteins from AS9-1 strains show an altered S9 protein which is more basic than the wild-type form. The presence of the two forms of the protein (wild-type and mutant) in heterocaryotic strains strongly suggests that AS9 is the structural gene for the ribosomal protein S9.

Immunological comparison of individual ribosomal proteins in six species of the genus Podospora

The ribosomal proteins of six species belonging to the genus Podospora have been compared by electrophoretical and immunological methods. The important variability in the electrophoretical properties is similar to other lower eukaryotes but we could specify the extent of the variability of the r-proteins by the analysis of immunological relationships between individual proteins. Radioimmuno-detection of ribosomal proteins blotted on nitrocellulose sheets after separation on two-dimensional gels, was used to determine common antigenic sites on the r-proteins of the different species. These sites may be present on proteins that do or do not have identical electrophoretical mobilities. Furthermore, the proteins which co-migrate do not necessarily cross-react.

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase III from the fungus Podospora comata. Purification, subunit structure and comparison with the homologous enzyme of a related species

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase III has been purified to homogeneity from the filamentous fungus Podospora comata. The enzyme was extracted at low ionic strength, separated from the polymerases I and II by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography and purified by heparin-Sepharose and phosphocellulose chromatography; 0.1-0.2 mg highly purified homogeneous enzyme with a specific activity of 220 units/mg could be obtained from 2 kg wet mycelium. The subunit composition of the enzyme was determined after sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; thirteen putative subunits of molecular weight 174000 (a), 129000 b), 87000 (c), 50000 (d), 39000 (e), 23500 (f), 21000 (g), 19000 (h), 17000 (i), 16500 (j), 13500 (k), 11000 (l) and 10000 (m) were identified. All of the polypeptide components of the enzyme are present in about integral stoichiometric amounts as judged by dye binding. The presence of subunit Mr = 87000 in a molar ratio 1:1 is necessary to obtain very active enzyme. Thirteen homologous subunits were observed in a preparation of RNA polymerase III from Podospora anserina, which is a related species. Only subunit i is different in the two species.

Analysis of revertants of a ribosomal mutation in Podospora anserina: evidence for new ribosomal mutations which confer hypersensitivity to paromomycin

This paper describes the analysis of cold-resistant revertants of a cold-sensitive mutant. Pm1-1 is a ribosomal mutation screened for its paromomycin resistance. Suppression of its cold sensitivity occurs with two kinds of external mutations localized in two different loci. One of them, PmB, is assumed to be a ribosomal gene. PmB mutations confer hypersensitivity to paromomycin in vivo as well as in vitro in a cell-free protein synthesis system.