Characterization of mitochondrial ribosomes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mitoribosomes from Candida utilis. Morphological, physical, and chemical characterization of the monomer form and of its subunits

Highly purified mitochondrial ribosomes (mitoribosomes) have been obtained from the yeast Candida utilis. Sedimentation analysis in sucrose gradients made in 5 mM MgCl(2), 1 mM Tris, pH 7.4 and 50 mM KCl clearly distinguishes mitoribosomes (72S) from cytoplasmic ribosomes (cytoribosomes) (78S). Mitoribosomes are completely dissociated into 50S and 36S subunits at 10(-4)M MgCl(2) whereas complete dissociation of cytoribosomes into 61S and 37S subunits occurs only at 10(-6)M MgCl(2) Electron microscopy of negatively stained mitoribosomes (72S peak) shows bipartite profiles, about 265 x 210 x 200 A Characteristic views are interpreted as frontal, dorsal, and lateral projections of the particles, the latter is observed in two enantiomorphic forms Mitoribosome 50S subunits display rounded profiles bearing a conspicuous knoblike projection, reminiscent of the large bacterial subunit. The 36S subunits show a variety of angular profiles. Mitoribosomal subunits are subject to artifactual dimerization at high Mg(2+) concentration Under these conditions, a supplementary 80S peak arises. Electron microscopic observation of the 80S peak reveals closely paired particles of the 50S type Buoyant density determinations after glutaraldehyde fixation show a single peak at rho = 1.48 for mitoribosomes and 1.53 for cytoribosomes In the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), two species of RNA, 21S and 16S, are obtained from mitoribosomes, while 25S and 17S RNA are obtained from cytoribosomes It is established that the small and large RNA species are derived from the 36S and 50S subunits, respectively, by extraction of the RNA from each subunit The G + C content of the RNA is lower for mitoribosomes (33%) than for cytoribosomes (50%). Incubation of C utilis mitochondria with leucine-(14)C results in the labeling of 72S mitoribosomes. The leucine-(14)C incorporation is inhibited by chloramphenicol and resistant to cycloheximide Puromycin strips the incorporated radioactivity from the 72S mitoribosomes, which is consistent with the view that leucine-(14)C is incorporated into nascent polypeptide chains at the level of mitoribosomes

Cell-free protein synthesizing system from yeast mitochondria

An active, cell-free protein synthesizing system has been obtained from yeast mitochondria. The system is stimulated by both polyuridylate and R17 RNA and is sensitive to inhibitors of bacterial protein synthesizing systems. A comparison is made between this system and that found in the cytoplasm of yeast.

Characterization of mitochondrial ribosomes from yeast

A method for the preparation of mitochondrial ribosomes from yeast is presented. Mitochondrial ribosomes differ from their cytoplasmic counterpart in nucleotide composition, electrophoretic mobility of a number of their respective ribosomal proteins, and thermal denaturation profiles. The mitochondrial and cytoplasmic ribosomes have identical sedimentation coefficients (80 S) and dissociate into 60S and 40S subunits. These findings demonstrate that, in yeast, mitochondrial ribosomes are distinct from cytoplasmic ribosomes.

Defective production of mitochondrial ribosomes in the poky mutant of Neurospora crassa

A strain of Neurospora crassa containing a cytoplasmic mutation (poky) affecting mitochondrial function is shown to be deficient in small ribosomal subunits in the mitochondrion during the exponential growth phase. In the stationary growth phase, small subunits are more abundant and are present in mitochondrial ribosomal monomers. This change can be correlated with the return of mitochondrial cytochrome content to amounts approaching those of wild type mitochondria. The ribosomal defect shows an extrachromosomal pattern of inheritance in crosses of poky with wild type.