A supernatant factor involved in initiation complex formation with eukaryotic ribosomes

Globin mRNA translation on Artemia salina ribosomes with components from Friend leukemia cells

Globin mRNA can be translated with relatively high efficiency in a fractionated cell-free system containing ribosomes prepared from cytst of Artemia salina. These ribosomes have unusually low endogenous activity for peptide synthesis in the absence of added mRNA. The system requires components from the postribosomal supernatant and from the 0.5 M KCl ribosomal wash fraction. Both these fractions were derived from either rabbit reticulocytes or unstimulated Friend leukemia cells that produce little or no hemoglobin. The activity of mRNA and enzyme fractions from rabbit reticulocytes and Friend leukemia cells were tested in this system in vitro for their ability to direct the synthesis of the alpha and beta chains of globin. The alpha:beta chain ratio synthesized from mRNA in the rabbit reticulocyte salt wash fraction was 4:1. The corresponding value for the 9-S mRNA fraction from the salt-washed reticulocyte ribosomes was 1:4, thus these two fractions appear to provide sources enriched in either alpha or beta globin mRNA. Under all conditions tested, the ratio and amounts of peptides formed in vitro appear to reflect mRNA composition. Globin mRNA from dimethysulfoxide-stimulated Friend leukemia cells when translated in vitro produced alpha and beta chains in a ratio of 1:1. These peptides are formed in the same ratio in the intact cells.

Initiation factor distribution in Xenopus laevis eggs

The distribution of activity similar to that of one of the initiation factors (IF2) was determined as a function of developmental stage in Xenopus laeviseggs and embryos. In vivo exposure of mature oocytes to hormone increases the total amount of detectable factor activity and facilitates the binding of IF2-like factor to ribosomes. The quality of factor bound is not correlated with polysome content.

Effect of development on the translation of messenger RNA in Artemia salina embryos

Cell-free preparations from encapsulated Artemia salina embryos readily translate poly(U), but there is no endogenous protein synthesis or translation of added natural mRNA until development resumes upon incubation in saline. High-salt-washed 80S ribosomes and highspeed supernatant (cytosol) were prepared from undeveloped eggs and from eggs allowed to develop to a stage prior to hatching. Endogenous protein synthesis occurs only with ribosomes from developed embryos, whether with undeveloped or developed cytosol. This is mainly elongation of preformed polypeptide chains, for it is largely resistant to edeine, an inhibitor of chain initiation. Edeinesensitive translation of added natural mRNA occurs with both developed and undeveloped ribosomes but requires developed cytosol. Translation of brome mosaic virus RNA is not much, if at all, further stimulated by high-saltwash of developed ribosomes, but that of globin mRNA is markedly enhanced. Levels of the chain initiation factor EIF-1 are the same before and after development. These results are consistent with the view that resumption of developemtn is triggered by transcription, with ensuing translation of the resulting messengers to yield, among other proteins, mRNA-recognizing initiation factors of the IF-3 type which are partly free in the cytosol and partly ribosome-bound. The data also suggest that different factors may be involved in the translation of brome mosaic virus RNA and globin mRNA by this system.

Protein synthesis in the cotyledons of Pisum sativum L. Protein factors involved in the binding of phenylalanyl-transfer ribonucleic acid to ribosomes

1. Proteinaceous factors contained in a 0.5m-KCl extract of ribosomes from pea cotyledons form a ternary complex at 0 degrees C with [(14)C]phenylalanyl-tRNA and poly(U). The complex is measured by its quantitative retention on Millipore filters. 2. Complex-assembly is optimal at 5mm-Mg(2+) and is independent of GTP and ribosomes. 3. The addition of ribosomes is required to stabilize the complex at 34 degrees C. The complex binds to a puromycin-sensitive site on the ribosome. 4. Soluble factors from the 250000g supernatant of pea cotyledon form a Millipore-retainable complex dependent on GTP and ribosomes. 5. Complex-formation by soluble factors has a Mg(2+) optimum of 10-12mm and forms a puromycin-insensitive complex with ribosomes. 6. The function of the ribosomal protein factors and the supernatant fraction in initiation of protein synthesis is discussed.

Conformational control of the interaction of eukaryotic elongation factors EF-1 and EF-2 with ribosomes

As in the case with prokaryotic systems, Artemia salina elongation factors EF-1 and EF-2 interact with a common site or with closely overlapping sites on the Artemia ribosome. This feature of ribosomal design must restrict interaction with the ribosome to only one of the factors at alternating steps of chain elongation. In support of this view we find that EF-1, but not EF-2, interacts with the post-translocation ribosome, whereas the reverse is true of the pre-translocation ribosome. Conformational changes probably account for the alternating selectivity of the translating ribosome for each elongation factor.

Initiation factor 2-dependent ribosomal binding of N-formylmethionyl-transfer RNA without added guanosine triphosphate

Evidence is presented that suggests that GTP (or 5'-guanylylmethylene diphosphonate) is not essential for either formation of an AUG-directed, initiation factor IF-2-dependent initiation complex on the 30S subunit or for positioning of fMet-tRNA on the peptidyl site. However, recycling of limiting amounts of IF-2 requires both GTP and the 50S subunit. The formation of the complex IF-2-30S as an intermediate in polypeptidechain initiation is suggested.

Polypeptide chain initiation and stepwise elongation with Artemia ribosomes and factors

The supernatant initiation factor from Artemia salina embryos promotes, besides the AUG-dependent binding of fMet-tRNA(f), the poly(U)-dependent binding of N-acetylPhe-tRNA to 40S ribosomal subunits; the bound N-acylaminoacyl-tRNA reacts directly with puromycin upon addition of 60S subunits. Both the binding reaction and the synthesis of N-acylaminoacyl-puromycin occur in the absence of GTP or other ribonucleoside triphosphates. To a smaller extent, the factor also mediates the 40S ribosomal binding of Met-tRNA(f) and Phe-tRNA; in this case, the bound aminoacyl-tRNA is less reactive with puromycin. After the poly(U)- and supernatant factor-dependent binding of N-acetylPhe-tRNA to 40S subunits at low Mg(2+) concentration, binding of a second aminoacyl-tRNA (Phe-tRNA), with ensuing formation of the first peptide bond, is dependent upon the addition of the 60S subunit, elongation factor EF-1, and GTP. Further growth of the polypeptide chain requires translocation and is, therefore, dependent upon the addition of elongation factor EF-2. As with the Escherichia coli system, once requirements for translation of the third codon have been met, no further additions are necessary for elongation of a peptide chain.

Polypeptide chain initiation in eukaryotes: functional identity of supernatant factor from various sources

Eukaryotic cells contain polypeptide chain initiation factors that, like the prokaryotic initiation factor IF-2, promote the AUG-dependent binding of fMet-tRNA(f) to the small ribosomal subunit. The bound amino-acyl-tRNA is directly convertible to fMet-puromycin upon addition of 60S subunit. The reaction is sensitive to initiation inhibitors such as aurintricarboxylic acid and edeine but, unlike its prokaryotic counterpart, it does not require GTP. Factors that catalyze the binding and fMet-puromycin reactions with ribosomal subunits from Artemia salina embryos are present in postribosomal supernatants of Artemia, mouse fibroblasts (L cells), and rat liver, as well as in salt washes of rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes. However, whereas all three supernatant factors, like Escherichia coli IF-2, are sensitive to SH-binding reagents, the reticulocyte factor is not. The rat liver and Artemia factors function indiscriminately with Artemia or rat liver ribosomes, but the Artemia factor and E. coli initiation factor IF-2 are not interchangeable.

Formation of a mammalian initiation complex with reovirus messenger RNA, methionyl-tRNA F , and ribosomal subunits

Previous data demonstrated that reovirus mRNA, synthesized in vitro with the particulate RNA transcriptase of reovirus cores, efficiently directs the synthesis of polypeptides in vitro. The present studies indicate that all of the three size classes of reovirus mRNA produced in vitro can form protein initiation complexes with rat liver [(36)S]Met-tRNA(F) and incubated 40S and 60S ribosomal subunits, which had been washed in 0.5 M KCl of mouse fibroblast L-929 cells. Mild prior treatment of the mRNA with HCHO was required to expose the initiator region. The initiation complex reacted quantitatively with puromycin to form a puromycin peptide, whose electrophoretic properties were identical to methionyl-puromycin formed in response to poly(A,G,U) or the initiator codon AUG. The complex was relatively stable and specific for [(35)S]Met-tRNA(F); rat liver [(35)S]Met-tRNA(M) was unreactive unless the supernatant factors EF T(1) and EF T(2) were also present. However, the addition of fusidic acid, at a concentration that did not affect complex formation with [(35)S]Met-tRNA(F), completely inhibited Met-tRNA(M) utilization. Exogenous ribosomal factors and GTP were not required unless the separated 40S and 60S subunits were further treated with 1 M KCl. The data suggest that reovirus mRNA contains AUG initiator codons that form a complex with Met-tRNA(F) at a puromycin-reactive site on ribosomes.

Separation of reticulocyte initiation factor M 2 activity into two components

IF-M(2), one of three initiation factors isolated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography from the 0.5 M KCl-wash fraction of rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes, has been separated by Sephadex G-200 chromatography into two components: IF-M(2A) and IF-M(2B). IF-M(2A) elutes near the void-volume, while IF-M(2B), which is much smaller in molecular weight than IF-M(2A), elutes slightly after a hemoglobin marker. In the presence of the other appropriate factors, both IF-M(2A) and IF-M(2B) are required to stimulate poly(U)-directed polyphenylalanine synthesis at low Mg(++) concentration, ApUpG-directed Met-tRNA(F) binding to washed reticulocyte ribosomes, and initiation of globin synthesis from endogenous mRNA. IF-M(2A) stimulates ribosome-dependent GTP hydrolysis, while IF-M(2B) does not; IF-M(2B) stimulates ApUpG-directed fMet-tRNA(F) binding in the presence of IF-M(1), while IF-M(2A) does not. Although IF-M(2A) and IF-M(2B) can be distinguished from each other by size and by activity, a distinct function for IF-M(2B) has not yet been found. Therefore, its precise role in the initiation process remains unclear.