Distribution of protein and RNA in the 30S ribosomal subunit

Journal Article · Fri Mar 28 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3513310· OSTI ID:5743147

Ramakrishnan, V

In Escherichia coli, the small ribosomal subunit has a sedimentation coefficient of 30S, and consists of a 16S RNA molecule of 1541 nucleotides complexed with 21 proteins. Over the last few years, a controversy has emerged regarding the spatial distribution of RNA and protein in the 30S subunit. Contrast variation with neutron scattering was used to suggest that the RNA was located in a central core of the subunit and the proteins mainly in the periphery, with virtually no separation between the centers of mass of protein and RNA. However, these findings are incompatible with the results of efforts to locate individual ribosomal proteins by immune electron microscopy and triangulation with interprotein distance measurements. The conflict between these two views is resolved in this report of small-angle neutron scattering measurements on 30S subunits with and without protein S1, and on subunits reconstituted from deuterated 16S RNA and unlabeled proteins. The results show that (i) the proteins and RNA are intermingled, with neither component dominating at the core or the periphery, and (ii) the spatial distribution of protein and RNA is asymmetrical, with a separation between their centers of mass of about 25 angstroms.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
• OSTI ID: 5743147
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 4745; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101 -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
550200* -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BARYONS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ESCHERICHIA COLI
FERMIONS
HADRONS
MICROORGANISMS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NEUTRONS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEONS
NUCLEOPROTEINS
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANOIDS
PROTEINS
RIBOSOMES
RNA
SCATTERING
SMALL ANGLE SCATTERING
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS