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Presents a list of research papers to be published in the upcoming issues of the "European Journal of Biochemistry." "Extraction and Translation of Collagen mRNA From Fetal Calf Skin," by R. Kaufman, A. Belayew, B. Nusgens, and C. M. Lapie&rgrave;e; "Messenger RNA For Ribosomal Proteins in Xenopus laevis Oocytes," by P. Pierandrei-Amaldi and E. Beccari; "Purification and Characterization of Esterase 2B of the House Mouse, Mus musculus," by U. Lexow, A. Ronai, and O. von Deimling.

The methylation of HeLa cell ribosomal proteins has been studied by paper electrophoresis separation of the peptides produced after trypsin digestion of individual ribosomal proteins. Methylation in vivo was detected by 3H labeling of peptides from cells that had been incubated with a mixture of [methyl-3H]methionine plus [35S]methionine, the incorporation of the 3H-labeled amino acid methionine being corrected by the 35S uptake. Each methylated peptide thus represented at least one methylation site (one or more methylated amino acids and their adjacent amino acid sequence). Eleven ribosomal proteins were found to be methylated. As many as five methylation sites were present in one ribosomal protein. In several ribosomal proteins some sites were methylated when ribosome synthesis was suppressed with low levels of actinomycin D, while other sites were not. Therefore, some of the sites in a given protein were apparently methylated in mature ribosomes, while other sites were methylated during ribosome processing. The methyl-group-specific labeling of some sites, but not others, was suppressed by cycloheximide, thus suggesting that the methylation of some sites was dependent on protein synthesis. A cell-free system from cultured HeLa cells is described, which reproduces the methylation pattern of ribosomal proteins in vivo in two ways: methylation was observed both in vivo and in vitro (a) in the same ribosomal proteins; and (b) in the same methylation sites of a given ribosomal protein. In addition, our data in vitro suggest that the methylation of some human ribosomal protein sites may involve a methyl donor other than S-adenosylmethionine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translation of cellular and early vaccinia RNA in nuclease-treated lysates, derived from uninfected and vaccinia-virus-infected cells al the early stage, has been investigated. When using limiting amounts of RNA no discrimination of translation was observed in the infected cells lysates; This conclusion was confirmed by sensitive RNA competition experiments for translation in vitro and also when using two different fractionated systems for protein synthesis in vitro. This absence of detectable discrimination in vitro was established both by comparing incorporation of [35S]methionine into proteins and by analysis of the products thus synthesized by sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis. However, a modification of the translational machinery from vaccinia-virus-infected cells did occur since only the ribosomal salt wash derived from infected cells was able to reverse the inhibition of protein synthesis in vitro resulting from excess RNA (control or early). This property of vaccinia-virus-infected cell lysates may result from the synthesis of an early protein involved in translation or from a better recovery of translational factors from the infected cells., as suggested in the accompanying paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes three types of experiments which indicate that the binding sites for elongation factor 1 (EF-1) and elongation factor 2 (EF-2) on ascites cell ribosomes are not identical and perhaps not even overlapping. The experimental evidence presented includes direct competitive binding of labeled elongation factors to ribosomes as well as the influence of pokeweed antiviral protein and Escherichia coli anti-L7/L12 proteins on the binding and function of the two factors. It is further shown that EF-1β from Artemia salina does not function in displacing EF-1 from mouse ascites tumor cell ribosomes. These results also support our recently proposed model that EF-1 remains bound to the ribosome during the peptide chain elongation cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-molecular-mass nucleolar protein (100-kDa protein) is associated with nascent pre-rRNA and preribosomes in Chinese hamster ovary cells. We have prepared antiserum against the 100-kDa protein and we have used it to study the intracellular localization and the possible processing of this protein. Serologically related proteins were detected in the nucleolus and in ribosomes. Proteins of various subcellular fractions were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to nitro- cellulose filters, reacted with serum and the protein-immunoglobulin complexes were revealed by 125I-labeled protein A In the nucleolus, four proteins with molecular masses of 100 kDa, 95 kDa, 76 kDa and 70 kDa were thus visualized. In the ribosomes, two proteins (of 100 kDa and 76 kDa) gave a strong reaction while six others (of 70 kDa, 60 kDa, 50 kDa, 30 kDa, 21 kDa, 18 kDa) reacted slightly. By immunological precipitation of total cell extracts, we have shown that the 100-kDa protein antiserum cross-reacts with live proteins with molecular masses of 120 kDa, 100 kDa, 95 kDa, 70 kDa and 60 kDa. Specific degradation of the 100-kDa protein into similar peptides with molecular masses of 95 kDa, 76 kDa, 70 kDa, 60 kDa and 50 kDa can be achieved by incubation of isolated nucleoli or of purified 100-kDa protein in vitro. Cleavage of the protein is due to a thiol endoprotease which is tightly bound to the 100-kDa protein. Possible relations between the maturation of this preribosomal protein into ribosomal proteins and the processing of preribosomal RNA into mature ribosomal RNA are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ribonucleoprotein prepared by strong ribonuclease digestion of a complex of 16-S ribosomal RNA and proteins S4 and S20 from Escherichia coli has been characterized; its nucleotide sequence, the positions of enzyme cuts and the sequence excisions have been placed in the completed sequence of 16-S RNA. The positions and yields of enzyme cuts, and excisions of sequence, are compared with those of various ribonucleoproteins prepared with S4 or S20 alone, and with the ribonuclease-resistant S4 RNA prepared from renatured 16-S RNA in the absence of ribosomal protein. These data yield important information on the topography and organization of the 5′ third of the 16-S RNA which is selectively maintained in its native conformation by the bound proteins; they also provide criteria for testing secondary structural models of this region of 16-S RNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After digestion of protein S4 with trypsin, all 32 tryptic peptides were isolated. Their amino acid compositions were analyzed and the sequence of the amino acids within the tryptic peptides was determined by means of a solid-phase peptide sequenator and by exopeptidases. Alignment of the tryptic peptides was established by analyzing and partially sequencing peptides isolated after digestion of the $4 protein with chymotrypsin, thermolysin and a glutamic-acid-specific protease. Further information about the alignment of peptides came from treatment of S4 with CNBr and with a lysine-modifying reagent. Protein S4 consists of 203 amino acids (Asp8, Asn8, Thr6, Ser10, Glu16, Gln10, Pros, Gly15, Ala18, Va116, Cys1, Met3, Ile8, Leu20, Tyr8, Phe4, His3, Lys20, Arg22 and Trp1) and has a molecular weight of 22550. The basic amino acids are clustered in five regions. Many short repetitions mainly with charged amino acids occur. A prediction is made for regions with or α-helices and with β-sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular structure of the Sambucus nigra agglutinin V(SNAV), which has been described previously as a type-2 ribosome-inactivating protein called nigrin b. has been studied in detail by analysis of the purified protein combined with cDNA cloning and molecular modeling. Native SNAV is a dimer to two [A-s-s-B] paris. Hapten inhibition assays indicated that GalNAc is a 20-fold more potent inhibitor of SNAV than Gal. A cDNA clone encoding SNAV was isolated from a cDNA library constructed with mRNA from the bark. Sequence analysis of this cDNA revealed a striking similarity to the recently cloned NeuAC α-2.6-gal/GalNAc-specific S. nigra bark agglutinin I (SNAI) and to the previously sequenced type-2 ribosome-inactivating proteins from Ricinus communis and Abrus precatorius. In addition, molecular modeling of SNAV further suggested that its structure closely resembles that of ricin. The N-terminal sequence of the B chain of SNAV also shows a marked similarity with the polypeptide of the previously described GalNAc-specific S. nigra bark agglutinin II (SNAII), which unlike SNAV and SNAI has no ribosome-inactivating activity. It appears, therefore, that elderberry bark contains at least two different type-2 ribosome-inativating proteins and a lectin built up of subunits which are closely related to the B chain of SNAV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the cartography of ribosomal proteins of the 3OS subunit from the halophilic Haloarcula marismortui and complete sequence analysis of protein HS26. Analysis using protein sequence; Encoding of the protein HmaS2 by the opening reading frame orfMSG; Sequence data of a further protein.

The total protein mixture of the 30S subunit (TP-30) of the bacterium Thermus thermophilus has been purified using reverse-phase HPLC and the proteins obtained were identified both by means of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as well as by amino-terminal amino acid microsequence analysis. The proteins are numbered according to their primary structural similarity with known prokaryotic ribosomal proteins. Eight of them, namely proteins S6, S7, S9, S10, S14, S15, S16, S17 run at different positions in the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis system to those suggested [Sedelnikova, S.C., Agalarov, M.B., Garber, M. & Yusupov, M.M. (1987) FEBS Lett. 220, 227-230]. All characterized proteins are homologous to known ribosomal proteins from other species, except for a small basic protein which shows homology only to a ribosomal protein from spinach chloroplasts [Choli, T., Franceschi, F., Yonath, A. & Wittmann-Liebold, B. (1993) Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 374, 377-383' Subramanian, A.-R. (1984) Trends Biochem. Sci. 9, 491-494]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the use of immunoelectron microscopy to locate five ribosomal proteins from Bacillus stearothermophilus. Preparation of ribosomal subunits and ribosomal protein; Inconsistency of the location determined for the BS20 ribosomal protein with the position of the protein in the neutron-scattering map.

Ribosomal proteins L3 and L4 were purified to homogeneity from total protein isolated from the 50S subunit of Bacillus stearothermophilus by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Amino acid sequences of both proteins were determined by automated N-terminal sequence analysis and sequencing of internal peptides. Using oligonucleotides deduced from the N-terminal region of protein L3 as hybridization probes, a DNA fragment coding for proteins L3, L4 and the N-terminal part of protein L23 has been identified, cloned and sequenced. The organization of the genes is identical to that found in the S10 operon of Escherichia coli. Comparison of the sequences of proteins L3 and L4 with those of other organisms revealed that all proteins of the L3 family are highly conserved. On the other hand, the archaebacterial L4 proteins show no significant sequence similarity to the E. coli L4 protein whereas the L4 protein of B. stearothermophilus is significantly similar to all of the L4 proteins and thus justifies the membership of all the L4 proteins in one protein family. The results are discussed with respect to the phylogenetic relationship between eubacteria, archaebacteria and eukaryotes and possible functional domains of proteins L3 and L4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear gene for mitochondrial ribosomal protein YmL9 (MRP-L9) of yeast has been cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence characterizes YmL9 as a basic (net charge + 30) protein of 27.5 kDa with a putative signal peptide for mitochondrial import of 19 amino acid residues. The intact MRP-L9 gene is essential for mitochondrial function and is located on chromosome XV or VII. mL9 shows significant sequence similarities to Escherichia coli ribosomal protein L3 and related proteins from various organisms of all three natural kingdoms as well as photosynthetic organelles (cyanelles). The observed structural conservation is located mostly in the C-terminal half and is independent of the intracellular location of the corresponding genes [Graack, H.-R., Grohmann, L. & Kitakawa, M. (1990) Biol. Chem. Hoppe Seyler 371, 787-788], YmL9 shows the highest degree of sequence similarity to its eubacterial and cyanelle homologues and is less related to the archaebacterial or eukaryotic cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins. Due to their high sequence similarity to the YmL9 protein two mammalian cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins [MRL3 human and rat; Ou, J.-H., Yen, T. S. B., Wang, Y.-F., Kam, W. K. & Rutter, W. J. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 8919-8934] are postulated to be true nucleus-encoded mitochondrial ribosomal proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protein kinase, specific for 60S ribosomal proteins, has been isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, purified to almost homogeneity and characterized. The isolated enzyme is not related to other known protein kinases. Enzyme purification comprised three chromotraphy steps; DEAE—cellulose, phosphocellulose and heparin—sepharose. SDS/PAGE analysis of the purified enzyme, indicated a molecular mass of around 71 kDa for the stained single protein band. The specific activity of the protein kinase was directed towards the 60S ribosomal proteins L44, L44', L45' and a 38 kDA protein. All the proteins are phosphorylated only at the serine residues. None of the 40S ribosomal proteins were phosphorylated in the presence of the kinase. For that reason we have named the enzyme the 60S kinase. An analysis of the phosphopeptide maps of acidic ribosomal proteins, phosphorylated at either the 60S kinase or casein kinase II, showed almost identical patterns. Using the immunoblotting technique, the presence of the kinase has been detected in extracts obtained from intensively growing cells. These findings suggest an important role played by the 60S kinase in the regulation of ribosomal activity during protein synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L2, L3, L4, L16 and L20 are proteins of the 50S ribosomal subunit of Escherichia coli which are essential for the assembly and activity of the peptidyl transferase centre. These proteins have been modified with the histidinespecific reagent, diethylpyrocarbonate, while L17 and LI8 were treated as controls. Each modified protein tested was able to participate in the reconstitution of a 50S particle when replacing its normal counterpart, although the particles assembled with modified L2 were heterogeneous. However, although they could support assembly, modified L16 and L20 were not themselves reconstituted stably, and modified L2 and L3 were found in less than stoichiometric amounts. Particles assembled in the presence of modified L16 retained significant peptidyl transferase activity (60-70% at 10 mM diethylpyrocarbonate) whereas those reconstituted with modified L2, L3, L4 or L20 had low activity (10-30% at 10 mM diethylpyrocarbonate). The particles assembled with the modified control portein, L17, retained 80% of their peptidyl transferase activity under the same conditions. The histidine residues within the essential proteins therefore contribute to ribosome structure and function in three significant ways; in the correct assembly of the ribosomal subunit (L2), for the stable assembly of the proteins within the ribosomal particle (L20 and L16 in particular), and directly or indirectly for the subsequent activity of the peptidyl transferase centre (L2, L3, L4 and L20). The essential nature of the unmodified histidines for assembly events precludes the use of the chemical-modification strategy to test the proposal that a histidine on one of the proteins might participate in the catalytic activity of the centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete amino acid sequences of ribosomal proteins L9, L20, L21/22, L24 and L32 from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui were determined. The comparison of the sequences of these proteins with those from other organisms revealed that proteins L21/22 and L24 are homologous to ribosomal protein Yrp29 from yeast and L19 from rat, respectively, and that H. marismortui L20 is homologous to L30 from eubacteria. H. marismortui ribosomal protein L9 showed sequence homology to both L29 from yeast and L15 from eubacteria. No homologous protein was found for H. marismortui L32. These results are discussed with respect to the phylogenetic relationship between eubacteria, archaebacteria and eukaryotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subunit association capacity of 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits from Escherichia coli mutants lacking protein S20 or L11 as well as of 50S subunits depleted of L7/L12 was tested by sucrose gradient centrifugation and by a nitrocellulose filtration method based on the protection from hydrolysis with peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase of ribosome-bound AcPhe-tRNA. It was found that the subunits lacking either S20 or L11 display an altered association capacity, while the 50S subunits lacking L7/L12 have normal association behavior. The association of S20-lacking 30S subunits is quantitatively reduced, especially at low Mg2+ concentrations (5–12 mM), and produces loosely interacting particles which dissociate during sucrose gradient centrifugation. The association of L11-lacking 50S subunits is quantitatively near-normal at all Mg2+ concentrations and produces loosely associating particles only at low Mg2+ concentrations (5–8 mM); the mechanism of their association with 30S subunits, however, or the structure of the resulting 30S–50S couples is altered in such a way as to cause the ejection of an AcPhe-tRNA molecule pre-bound to the 30S subunits in response to poly(U). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The locations of proteins BL1, BL6, BL23 and BL29 from Bacillus stearothermophilus have been determined on the ribosomal surface by immunoelectron microscopy. All four proteins were localized in the same region of the 50S subunit as their homologous counterparts from Escherichia coli, indicating that the ribosomal architecture is the same in both species. This finding is of great importance as it allows structural data obtained on ribosomes from either organism to be incorporated into a unique ribosome model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosomal proteins were extracted from 50S ribosomal subunits of the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui by decreasing the concentration of Mg2+ and K+, and the proteins were separated and purified by ion-exchange column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Ten proteins were purified to homogeneity and three of these proteins were subjected to sequence analysis. The complete amino acid sequences of the ribosomal proteins L25, L29 and L31 were established by analyses of the peptides obtained by enzymatic digestion with trypsin, Staphylococcus aureus protease, chymotrypsin and lysylendopeptidase. Proteins L25, L29 and L31 consist of 84, 115 and 95 amino acid residues with the molecular masses of 9472 Da, 12293 Da and 10418 Da respectively. A comparison of their sequences with those of other large-ribosomal-subunit proteins from other organisms revealed that protein L25 from H. marismortui is homologous to protein L23 from Escherichia coli (34.6%), Bacillus stearothermophilus (41.8%), and tobacco chloroplasts (16.3%) as well as to protein L25 from yeast (38.0%). Proteins L29 and L31 do not appear to be homologous to any other ribosomal proteins whose structures are so far known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The misincorporation of cysteine (codon: UGU/C) into twelve ribosomal proteins devoid of cysteine has been studied. Although it is generally assumed that cysteine is misincorporated at arginine and tryptophan residues (codons: CGU/U and UGG respectively), our results are consistent with the idea that cysteine is also mis-incorporated at phenylalanine residues (codon: UUU/C) through a second-position C : U mismatch. Cysteine was found in ribosomal proteins L29, L32/L33 and SW, under conditions where only its misincorporation at neutral residues was measured. Since these proteins contain no tryptophan, the data imply that cysteine has replaced a neutral amino acid other than tryptophan. Because there was a statistically significant correlation between the total level of cysteine in the twelve proteins under study and their content of phenylalanine and arginine residues, we conclude that there is a likelihood of cysteine misincorporation at phenylalanine residues, in addition to its misincorporation at arginine and tryptophan residues. Our measurements are consistent with the existence of a cluster of ribosomal proteins having an average mistranslation frequency of 2.5 × 10-4/residue and another having an average mistranslation frequency of 10-3 residue. There was three times less cysteine misincorporated into ribosomal protein LI than into L7/L12, although the LI mRNA contains eleven CGU/C codons and four UUU/C codons while the L7/L12 mRNA contains only one arginine and two phenylalanine codons (both proteins are free of tryptophan). Furthermore, the mRNAs for both LI and L7/L12 contain a CGU codon located in the context GUA-codon-GG and there was as much cysteine incorporated at this codon in L7/L12 [Bouadloun, F., Donner, D. and Kurland, C. G. (1983) EMBO J. 2, 1351 -1356] than in the whole of Li. This suggests that, relatively speaking, little cysteine is to be found at the phenylalanine and the other ten arginine positions of LI and that the phenylalanine residues of L7/L12 are particularly error-prone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of polypeptides of the coupling factor CF1 was investigated in 70S ribosome-deficient rye leaves generated by growing the plants at a non-permissive temperature of 32°C, in order to analyse mechanisms coordinating subunit accumulation. Antibodies were raised in rabbits against total CF1 as well as against its five individual subunits purified from chloroplast thylakoids from rye leaves. Several immunological techniques applying these antibodies (immunoprecipation, immunoblotting, antibody affinity chromatography) were unable to detect the presence of any of the CF1 subunits in heat-treated 70S ribosome-deficient leaves. After in vivo labeling with L-[35S]methionine and subsequent immunoprecipitation, however, redioactivity was found to be incorporated into the subunits γ and δ, but not into α, β, and ε in 70S ribosome-deficients leaves, demonstrating the cytoplasmic synthesis of CF1-γ and CF1-δ. Chase experiments after in vivo labeling with L-[35S]methionine stabilized when integrated into the complete CF1 complex in normal gene leaves from permissive growth conditions. The apparent half-times of the unassembled subunits were 2 h for CF1-γ and 4 h for CF1-δ in 32 C-grown leaves. Several other, stromal, plastid proteins of cytoplasmic origin were stable in 32-grown leaves during the period of chase. In etiolated leaves total CF1, including all subunits, appeared to be less stable than in green leaves grown under permissive temperature conditions in light. Rapid degradation of the excess of unassembled subunits is regarded as an important mechanism ensuring a constant stoichiometry and apparently synchronous development of CF! subunits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins from the large and small subunits of Aedes alhopictus (mosquito) cytoplasmic ribosomes were characterized by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The small subunit contained 28 - 31 proteins ranging in molecular mass from 10 to 49 kDa. The large subunit contained 36-39 proteins that ranged in molecular mass from 11 to 53 kDa. The largest protein on the small subunit, S1, was the predominant phosphorylated ribosomal protein. Under long-term labelling conditions, L4 and L33 were also phosphorylated. Peptide mapping by partial proteolysis indicated that Ae albopictus S1 may share partial amino acid homology with the phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 from Drosophila melanogaster. Unlike Drosophila $6, however. Aedes S1 was not dephosphorylated during heat shock. Treatment of mosquito cells with the insect molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone did not affect phosphorylation of ribosomal proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number Of proteins of the sulphur-dependent archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius are phosphorylated in vivo. The extent of phosphorylation depends on the state of growth and is most intense in the late exponential phase. Some of the phosphorylated proteins are strongly associated with the bacterial membrane. Ribosomal proteins and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase are not phosphorylated. Studies in vitro show a high target selectivity. The activity is not increased by cyclic nucleotides. The reaction in vitro is optimal in the presence of Mg2t, Mn2+ or Ca2+. Both serine and threonine residues are modified. Acetate ions do not induce additional phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutant strain of Escherichia coli, TP28, synthesises ribosomes by an abnormal pathway and accumulates large quantities of 47S ribonucleoprotein particles. The protein complement of mutant 70S ribosomes is normal but 47S particles contain only traces of proteins L28 and L33 and have a significantly reduced content of four other proteins. The mutation reduces the rates of synthesis of L28 and L33 by about half but other widespread alterations ensue. In particular, ribosomal protein synthesis in the mutant strain becomes less well balanced than in its parent: some proteins, particularly those from promoter-proximal genes, are oversynthesized and their excess then degraded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes in the degree of phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 during the life cycle of the aquatic fungus Blastocladiella emersonii were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Three phosphorylated derivatives of S6 are present throughout the entire life cycle. However, under certain germination condition, more highly phosphorylated derivatives of S6 appear. Nonetheless, the resumption of protein synthesis that occurs during germination is not dependent on those highly phosphorylated derivatives of S6. The pattern and sites of phosphorylation of S6 labelled in vivo with [32P]orthophosphate have been compared with those of 40S ribosomal subunit labelled in vitro by partially purified protein kinases. Three major phosphopeptides were found in S6 isolated from the zoospore, while six phosphopeptides were found after zoospore germination (in germling cells). The phosphopeptide patterns of S6 phosphorylated by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase and by casein kinases I and II were completely distinct. Only the cAMP-dependent protein kinase gives rise to a phosphopeptide found in 32P-labelled cells, indicating that one of sites phosphorylated in vivo is also phoshorylated in vitro by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 6-kb DNA fragment from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus, carrying the genes for cytochrome oxidase ba3 subunit I (cbaA) and the ribosomal protein S15 (rpsO) was cloned into Escherichia coli. The gene rpsO was sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibits 59% identity to the corresponding protein from E. coli. Expression of rpsO in E. coli requires the use of a fully repressed inducible promoter because S15 from T. thermophilus is toxic for E. coli cells, When purified without denaturation from either overproducing E. coli strain or from T. thermophilus ribosomes, the S15 protein is stable and binds a cloned T. thermophilus 16S rRNA fragment (nucleotides 559-753), with low identical dissociation constants (2.5 nM), thus demonstrating that the thermophilic protein folds correctly in a mesophilic bacterium. The rRNA fragment bound corresponds in position and structure to the 16S rRNA fragment of E. coli. A similar high affinity was also found for the binding of S 15 from T. thermophilus or E. coli to the corresponding E. coli 16S rRNA fragment, whereas a slightly lower affinity was observed in binding experiments between E. coli S15 and T. thermophilus 16S rRNA fragment. These results suggest that S15 from T. thermophilus recognizes similar determinants in both rRNA fragments. Competition experiments support this conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins L6 and L29 in the 60-S subparticle of mammalian ribosomes interact in situ under gentle conditions by intermolecular disulfide bond formation. For identifying the contact regions of the two proteins the disulfide complex was isolated from whole ribosomes by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and subjected to cyanogen bromide cleavage. For effective cleavage non-oxidizing conditions had to be maintained throughout the preparation. A simple and generally applicable method of high-efficiency gel pre-electrophoresis with anionic and cationic thiols was developed. Under these conditions reversibly cross-linked CNBr fragments of L6 and L29 could be isolated in high yield (Mr approx. 13000 and 7000, respectively). After [14C]carboxymethylation of the reduced disulfide links smaller contact sequences were obtained by pepsin digestion and characterized by two-dimensional peptide mapping. These smaller contact peptides were contained within the corresponding CNBr fragments. Both contact peptides were hydrophilic and relatively basic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete primary structures of proteins L17, L27 and S9 extracted from the Bacillus stearothermophilus ribosomes with 1 M NaCl and purified to homogeneity by column chromatography have been determined. The amino acid sequences of these proteins are compared to those of the homologous ribosomal proteins from Escherichia coli. The number of identical amino acid residues between the homologous proteins lies between 33–55%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two non-acidic proteins, extracted from the ribosomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using 1 M ammonium chloride in the presence of 50% ethanol, have been purified and characterized. Similar proteins are present in other eukaryotic ribosomes tested, as determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and cross-reaction with antisera. One of the two yeast proteins, protein YL23, seems to be very well preserved during evolution, since antisera specific for YL23 cross-react with of protein EC L11 from Escherichia coli. The structural similarity between these two proteins parallels a functional equivalence shown by the ability of the bacterial protein to reconstitute the activity of protein-deficient core particles from yeast. However, in contrast to protein EC L11, protein YL23 interacts with the yeast acidic proteins, forming a complex probably similar to the one made by bacterial protein EC L10 with proteins EC L7 and EC L12 in the E.coli ribosome. Protein YL23 might play similar roles to those of proteins EC L10 and EC L11 in bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the large-scale isolation of ribosomal proteins is described avoiding pre-separation of 30-S and 50-S subunits. Five proteins isolated in this way were studied with high-resolution 1H NMR at 500 MHz. These are $21, L18, L25, L30 and L33. The results show that L18, L25 and L30 exhibit tertiary structure in solution and indications for secondary structure in $21 are found. Protein L33 appears to be a random coil. Several resonances in the 1H NMR spectra are assigned to particular protons of amino acid residues, e.g. the aromatic ring protons of tyrosines and histidines, and ε-protons of lysines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to identify ribosomal components involved in the peptidyl-tRNA binding site on the ribosome. tRNAPhe molecules were prepared in which cytidine residues had been chemically converted into 4-thiouridine (s4U). This nucleoside is photoactive at 335 nm and able to form covalent bonds with nearby nucleophitic groups. The thiolated AcPhe-tRNAPhe was bound to the ribosomal P site in the presence of poly(U) as verified by puromycin reactivity. Direct irradiation of the AcPhe-[s4U]tRNAPhe poly(U)70-S ribosome complex induced crosslinking of the tRNA molecule exclusively to 30-S subunits. Analysis of the covalent complex revealed that AcPhe-[s4U]tRNAPhe was specifically crosslinked to protein S10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modification of the 50-S subunits of Escherichia coli ribosomes with the arginine reagent phenylglyosal produces inactivation of peptidyl transferase and inhibition of the binding of C(U)-A-C-C-A-LeuAc, phenylalanyl-tRNA and N-acetylphenylalanyl-tRNA to the ribosome. Hybridization experiments, using 1.25 M LiCl core particles and the corresponding split proteins from untreated and phenylglyosal-treated 50-S subunits, indicate that inactivation and inhibition of binding are the effects of modification of a protein fraction, the functionality of the RNA moiety being unaffected by the reagent. The split proteins from phenylglyosal-modified 50-S subunits are incorporated to 1.25 M LiCl core particles as well as those obtained from unmodified subunits, thus excluding the failure to bind as the cause of inactivation. In agreement with the general role played by the arginyl residues as positive binding sites for anionic ligands, the present results indicate that the arginyl residues of a protein fraction from 50-S subunits be important in the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA and peptidyl-tRNA to ribosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete covalent structure of ribosomal protein S1 of Escherichia coli has been determined and predictions made of its secondary structure. Protein S1 (E. coli MRE 600) is a single-chain, acidic protein with 557 amino acid residues of the composition Asp43, Asn23, Thr25, Ser25, Glu60, Gln14, Pro10, Gly48, Ala48, Val67, Met6, Ile30, Leu45, Tyr6, Phe17, His8, Lys43, Arg30, Trp7, Cys2 and an MΓ of 61 159. The two -SH groups of S1 are located in the central region of the chain at positions 292 and 349, the latter being the reactive group whose modification results in the reported loss of the nucleic-acid-unfolding ability of S1. The central region also contains the majority of the tryptophan, histidine and methionine residues of S1 and is predicted to have a secondary structure dominated by β-sheets and turns. A direct proof for the location of the nucleic-acid-binding domain of S1 in the central region has recently been obtained [Subramanian et al. (1981) Eur. J. Biochem. 119, 245-249]. The N-terminal region of S1, which contains the ribosome-binding domain has a relatively high predicted α-helix content and no preponderance of basic amino acids. The facile trypsin-sensitive site in S1 is located at Arg-171, approximately at the border between the N-terminal and central regions. The acidic and basic amino acids of S1 (32.8% of all residues) are distributed throughout the chain, often in small clusters of between two and six residues. The amino acid sequence of S1 contains three 24-residue stretches with strong internal homology. Two of the stretches are located in the central. RNA-binding region, suggesting a possible role in the RNA-binding and helix-destabilizing functions of S1. A fragment of MΓ 104 from the central region of S1 gives an anomalously high apparent MΓ by dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis, indicating a stable structural element therein and accounting for the apparent high MΓ of S1 as determined by gel electrophoresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S1 and its mutant, shorter, form m1-S1 were cleaved at internal methionyl residues to yield, respectively, six and five fragments of M1 ranging from 1000 to 24000. Methods are described to isolate the fragments in pure form. Four of the fragments (designated F2a, F2b, F3 and F4) contain between 86 and 215 amino acids and are therefore as large as other ribosomal proteins. Fragment F2a, derived from the N-terminal region, has previously been shown to contain the major ribosome binding domain of S1 [S. Giorginis and A. R. Subramanian (1980) J. Mot Biol. 1411 393 -408]. Here we show that the RNA binding domain of S1 is essentially contained in F3 derived from the middle region of S1 and carrying the nonreactive - SH group. The reactive a SF! group of SI, whose activity is modified by ligand binding, was localized in F2b, a fragment with little RNA binding capacity. The characteristic RNA binding domain and a weak ribosome binding domain of S1 have previously been localized in the large trypsin-resistent core SI-Fl [T. Suryanarayana and A. It Subramanian(1979) J. Mol. Biol. 127, 41-54]. Together these data indicate that two of the key functional domains of SI are located in two regions of the molecule separated by an open, exposed segment. The present study also revealed that the nonreactive - SM group of S1 becomes reactive in m1-S1 by the loss of the remote C-terminal region in the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bifunctional reagent ethyl 4-azidobenzoylaminoacetimidate was used to crosslink specifically ribosomal protein S1 to 16-S RNA within 30-S subunits. The reagent was attached to isolated protein S1. The modified protein was reassociated with protein-S1-depleted 30-S subunits and then crosslinked to the RNA molecule. The covalently bound 16-S RNA protein S1 complex was isolated and the RNA fragment C-U-A-A-G-G-G-G-U-U-A-A-G-U-C-G-A-C-C-G-C-C-U-G-G-G-G-A-G (positions 861-889) was characterized to be crosslinked to protein S1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizes the polysomal poly(A) protein particles in rat liver. Procedure of protein preparation by sucrose gradient centrifugation; Particle sedimentation; Tissue distribution; Molecular weight of identified polypeptides.

Characterizes the proteins associated with duck-globin messenger RNA and its polyadenylated segment in polyribosomal and repressed free messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes. Protein composition in different ionic strength conditions; Protein interaction with non-ribosomal globin mRNA.

Protein L11 was isolated from the 50-S subunit of Escherichia coli ribosomes, using two salt extractions and two chromatographic separations on CM-cellulose. The unusual behavior of the protein when run on sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis showed multiple bands. The complete primary structure of protein L11 is presented in detail. Its sequence was derived from peptides obtained by digesting the protein with trypsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin, Staphylococcus aureus protease and, after modification, with trypsin. Chemical cleavage was performed with cyanogen bromide. Sequencing of the various peptides was achieved by manual micro-dansyl-Edman degradations and automatic methods. The N-terminal residue of the protein is blocked and was not degradable in the liquid-phase sequenator by the Edman method. It was identified by a combination of enzymatic cleavage and mass spectrometry. Protein L11 contains three methylated amino acid residues, a Nα-trimethylalanine, and two residues of Nϵ-trimethyllysine. Their behaviour and influence in the sequence elucidation are described. The protein contains 141 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 14874. Secondary structure predictions of the protein are given, and its sequence is compared with those of other E. coli ribosomal proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparison of the properties in vitro of total 30-S ribosomal subunit proteins and purified protein S4 of Escherichia coli D10 (wild type) and E. coli 219tS2 (temperature-sensitive) has given the following results. Reconstitution of functional 30-S subunits hi vitro occurs when total 30-S subunit proteins of either strain are used even at temperatures which are not permissive for 30-S subunit assembly in vivo in E. coli 219ts2. The yield of reconstitution is, however, twofold lower with 30-S subunit proteins of E. coli 219ts2 than with wild-type proteins. The yield of complex formation between 16-S rRNA and protein S4 of E. coli 219ts2 is temperature-sensitive and lower at all temperatures tested (33–42 °C) than that observed when wild-type S4 is used. The conformational stability of complexes between 16-S rRNA and S4 from 219ts2 is more temperature-sensitive than that of analogous complexes containing wild-type S4. These observations provide an explanation for the temperature sensitivity of 30-S subunit assembly in E. coli 219ts2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli 219ts2, a temperature-sensitive streptomycin-independent revertant of the streptomycin-dependent strain E. coli 209 is defective in 30-S ribosomal subunit assembly at 42 °C. Total 30-S ribosomal subunit proteins of this strain contain two additional components one of which (α) migrates below and the other (Β) to the right of protein S7 in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel analyses carried out according to Kaltschmidt and Wittmann. These two components are also resolved from normal 30-S subunit proteins by chromatography on phosphocellulose. Tryptic fingerprinting of proteins α and Β identifies α as protein S7B, the form of S7 found in B strains of E. coli and Β as a mutant form of protein S4 produced by deletion of about 20 amino acids from the COOH terminus of the wild-type protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xenopus laevis oocytes (stage II-III) incorporate [35S]methionine into ribosomal proteins identifiable by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Poly(A)-rich RNA prepared from this source has been translated in a wheat germ cell-free system. Among the products synthesized in vitro 30 are clearly identifiable as ribosomal proteins. Some are not individually resolved, whereas a few of them may lack methionine or may not be correctly processed after the synthesis in vitro. An enrichment of our mRNA preparation for ribosomal protein activity can be obtained by subsequent passages on oligo(dT)-cellulose columns and by selection of a 10-16-S fraction by sucrose gradient sedimentation. We estimate that messenger RNA for ribosomal proteins represents 10-20% of this RNA preparation and can now be utilized for molecular cloning procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorylation of proteins in the protein-synthesizing complex from rabbit reticulocyte lysates was examined under conditions of optimal protein synthesis and during inhibition of protein synthesis by hemin deprivation. A creatine phosphate—ATP—GTP—Pi exchange system was used to maintain [γ-32P]ATP and [γ-32P]GTP at high, constant specific activity. Phosphate incorporation into proteins in the 0.5 M KC1 wash fraction and in salt-washed ribosomes was examined before and after inhibition of protein synthesis in hemin-deprived lysates and compared to phosphorylated proteins observed in heroin-supplemented lysates. Two of the phosphoproteins in the 0.5 M KCI wash fraction showed a twofold to fourfold increase in phosphate incorporation prior to inhibition of protein synthesis under conditions of hemin deprivation. One of these phosphoproteins was identified as the small subunit of initiation factor 2 (elF-2), the initiation factor involved in the GTP-dependent binding of Met-tRNAf to 40-S ribosomal subunits. A second protein, with a molecular weight of 55 000, did not correspond to any of the highly purified initiation factors from reticulocytes, but was a major constituent of the salt-wash fraction. No changes in phosphate incorporation into the major phosphorylated 40-S ribosomal protein, S6, were observed; however, several minor components, which were not completely removed by the high-salt wash, showed alterations in phosphorylation. Protein synthesis and phosphorylation were also examined in intact reticulocytes. When iron and the iron-transporting protein, transferrin, were present, protein synthesis was linear for at least 2 h. When the cells were incubated in the nutritional media from which iron and transferrin had been omitted, inhibition occurred between 15 min and 30 min. Cells incubated in the absence of iron and transferrin showed increased phosphorylation of two proteins in the high-salt-wash fraction. These had molecular weights of 38 000 and 55 000 and corresponded to the two proteins showing increased phosphorylation in the lysate system in the absence of hemin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA-protein interactions in the 80-S rat liver ribosomes were studied by measuring cross-linking of proteins to rRNAs induced by ultraviolet radiation, as already reported for free 40-S and 60-S subunits. Our results are compatible with the model in which most of the ribosomal proteins are accessible to rRNAs in the native conformational state of the ribosomes. Subunit association in 80-S ribosomes does not seem to induce modifications in protein-RNA interactions as measured by this irradiation technique. However, two proteins, S9 and S13, appeared to be significantly less cross-linked with RNA in ribosomes than in free subunits. Ribosomes which had been frozen and thawed several times were highly sensitive to ultraviolet radiation. Such treatment in the cold chiefly modified their 60-S subunit moiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to identify and to study the ribosomal protein genes in yeast we have tried to purify the mRNA coding for ribosomal proteins. Poly(A)-containing RNA from the yeast Saccharomyces carlsbergensis was fractionated according to size using preparative sucrose gradient centrifugation. The various (size) fractions were translated in vitro in a wheat germ cell-free system. The products were analysed by sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis as well as by acetic acid/urea gel electrophoresis. It was found that an mRNA fraction of about 9 S directs the synthesis in vitro of proteins that have properties characteristic of ribosomal proteins, i.e. they are both small and basic. The ribosomal nature of these proteins was further established by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. This small-size mRNA fraction can be used as a probe for the identification of ribosomal protein genes in recombinant DNA molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of ultraviolet irradiation on Escherichia coli 30-S ribosomal subunits were studied. At the doses of radiation used in this work (0–4.5 ⊗ 105 quanta/30-S subunit), only protein S7 was found to be significantly crosslinked to the 16-S RNA. In conditions where 25% of the protein was covalently crosslinked, the ability of the irradiated 30-S subunits to reassociate with 50-S subunits and their activity in polyphenylalanine synthesis decreased strongly. Similar results were obtained by irrradiation with a germicide lamp (254 nm) or with a monochromatic ultraviolet light at 248 nm. No additional proteins were crosslinked to the 16-S RNA by irradiating 30-S subunits depleted in protein S1 or 70-S ribosomes. The covalent complex of 16-S RNA and protein S7 was isolated and digested by T1 ribonuclease. The oligonucleotide remaining attached to the crosslinked protein was characterised as A-C-C-U-C-G [position 1261–1266, see the sequence published by Carbon et al. (1979) Eur. J. Biochem. 160, 399–410]. Analysis of this fragment suggests that protein S7 was linked to the cytosine at position 1265 in the RNA sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional of phytohaemagglutinin to cultured lymphocytes results in a progressive increase in the rate of protein synthesis of up to 7–10 times the initial rate after 20 h. Between 2 h and 12 h after the addition of mitogen, the increase in the rate of protein synthesis can be accounted for by the transfer of mRNA from messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes to polysomes. Between 12 h and 20 h the increase also reflects the accumulation of mRNA and ribosomes. However, the proportion of mRNA associated with ribosomes in unstimulated lymphocytes is unexpectedly high and paradoxically decreases during the first 2 h after mitogen addition, although the rate of protein synthesis increases. A mechanism involving mRNA selection is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is described for the isolation of highly purified proteins from the 50-S subunit of Escherichia coli ribosomes. All the proteins from the large subunit could be isolated with the exception of L14, L26, L31 and L34. The isolated proteins are functionally active in reconstituted particles. The method consists of successive NH4Cl/EtOH and LiCl washing steps, which split off distinct groups of proteins from the ribosome. The protein groups are further separated by a combination of gel filtration (Sephadex G-100) and ion-exchange chromatography (carboxymethylcellulose) in the presence of 6 M urea, at neutral pH and 4°C. The purity of the proteins was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In addition, ten protein complexes were isolated and identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibodies against ribosomal protein SI (anti-S1) have been used to determine the function of SI in the partial reactions involved in the translation of MS2 RNA in vitro. Vacant ribosomes are fully sensitive to the antibodies, whereas elongating ribosomes are resistant. We have determined at which stage of translation the resistance to anti-S1 is acquired. We find that insensitivity to anti-S1 already arises upon mixing 30-S subunits with MS2 RNA. Apparently the two particles form a complex in which SI is functionally protected against its antibody. Complex formation depends on elevated temperature, a suitable ionic environment and it is stimulated by the initiation factor IF-3. It does not depend on IF-1, IF-2 or fMet-tRNA. Thus ribosomes have the potential to recognize the messenger in the absence of fMet-tRNA. Protein SI appears directly involved in this primary recognition reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of the 30-S ribosomal particles by 2.15 M LiCl in the presence of 5 mM MgCl2 results in ribonucleoprotein particles which have a sedimentation coefficient of 25.5 S, are capable of being reconstituted to native 30-S subparticles, and contain 40-50% of the protein bulk of 30-S subparticles. A comparison of hydrodynamic and X-ray data for 30-S and 25-S ribonucleoprotein particles suggests that the 25-S ribonucleoprotein particle retains on the whole the structure of the original 30-S subparticles and therefore the absent proteins (S1, S2, S3, S5, S9, S10, S12, S14, S20, S21 and possibly S11 and S13) do not take part in maintaining the compact structure of the small subparticle of Escherichia coli ribosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional analysis of the ribosomal proteins from 60-S subunits of HeLa cells revealed a triplet of acidic proteins, L40a, L40b and L40c, of identical molecular weight (13700), which can be separated only on the basis of their charge differences. Two of the spots, L40 b and L40c, become labeled after incubation of the cells with inorganic [32P]phosphate. The electrophoretic behavior and molecular weights of these proteins support the notion that the proteins L40b and L40c, are phosphorylated forms of the protein L40a. The same proteins can be phosphorylated also in vitro by a HeLa protein kinase on 60-S subunits but not on 80-S ribosomes. The inaccessibility of L40 proteins to the phosphorylation in vitro on 80-S ribosomes suggests that they are located in the interface between the 40-S and 60-S subunits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]