Effect of the toxic castor bean protein, ricin, on the phosphorylation pattern of [32P]-labelled ribosomes from mouse L cells

Depurination of yeast 26S ribosomal RNA by recombinant ricin A chain

The nature of the modification of yeast ribosomes by the recombinant form of the ricin A chain has been examined. Evidence is presented that the 26S rRNA molecule is depurinated at a specific site and that the activity is inhibited by antibody raised to ricin A chain. It thus appears that the recombinant form of this toxin retains the depurination activity of the native molecule. These results are consistent with the model that the site of depurination is in a highly conserved sequence forming a loop on the surface of the ribosome, a domain involved in elongation factor-dependent binding of aminoacyl-tRNA.

The mechanism of the protein-synthesis elongation cycle in eukaryotes. Effect of ricin on the ribosomal interaction with elongation factors

The functional significance of the post-translocation interaction of eukaryotic ribosomes with EF-2 was studied using the translational inhibitor ricin. Ribosomes treated with ricin showed a decreased rate of elongation accompanied by altered proportions of the different ribosomal phases of the elongation cycle. The content of ribosome-bound EF-2 was diminished by approximately 65% while that of EF-1 was unaffected. The markedly reduced content of EF-2 was caused by an inability of the ricin-treated ribosomes to form high-affinity pre-translocation complexes with EF-2. However, the ribosomes were still able to interact with EF-2 in the form of a low-affinity post-translocation complex. Ricin-treated ribosomes showed an altered ability to stimulate the GTP hydrolysis catalysed by either EF-1 or EF-2. The EF-1-catalysed hydrolysis was reduced by approximately 70%, resulting in a decreased turnover of the quaternary EF-1 X GTP X aminoacyl-tRNA X ribosome complex. In contrast, the EF-2-catalysed hydrolysis was increased by more than 400%, despite the lack of pre-translocation complex formation. The effect was not restricted to empty reconstituted ribosomes since gently salt-washed polysomes also showed an increased rate of GTP hydrolysis. The results indicate that the EF-1- and EF-2-dependent hydrolysis of GTP was activated by a common center on the ribosome that was specifically adapted for promoting the GTP hydrolysis of either EF-1 or EF-2. Furthermore, the results suggest that the GTP hydrolysis catalysed by EF-2 occurred in the low-affinity post-translocation complex.

Protection of rat liver 80 S ribosomes against ricin A chain inactivation by proteins extracted from rat liver and wheat germ ribosomal subunits with ammonium chloride/magnesium chloride

Proteins extracted from wheat germ 60 S ribosomal subunits and rat liver 60 S and 40 S ribosomal subunits with 3 M NH4Cl/75 mM MgCl2 were able to prevent the ricin A chain-mediated inactivation of untreated 80 S rat liver ribosomes. The protection of polyphenylalanine synthetic capability of 80 S ribosomes was saturable and reached 100% protection in the presence of about 20 micrograms of extracted protein using a uniform set of assay conditions. No protection was observed using proteins extracted from wheat germ 40 S subunits or the core fraction of rat liver 60 S subunits or protein extracted from Escherichia coli ribosomes or ribosomal subunits. The conclusion that the protective effect of extracted 60 S subunit proteins was specific, was further strengthened by showing that unrelated proteins such as alpha-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin and lysozyme, and polypeptides such as polylysine and poly(aspartic acid), also showed no protection. If 80 S ribosomes were first treated with ricin A chain and then incubated with proteins extracted from rat liver 60 S subunits, no protection was observed. Proteins extracted with NH4Cl/MgCl2 from 60 S rat liver subunits were applied to carboxymethylcellulose column equilibrated with 6 M urea. Stepwise elution with increasing concentrations of LiCl resulted in seven fractions. One fraction (D) contained most of the protective factor; one fraction (E) contained a lesser amount of the protective factor. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of fraction D showed the presence of ten proteins. These data are consistent with the idea that the enzymatic target of ricin A chain is protein is nature and that fraction D contains one or more proteins that appear to act as a inhibitor against ricin A chain.