Polynucleotide-protein interactions in the translation system. Detection of contacts between some ribosomal split proteins and 16-S RNA in 30-S subunits of Escherichia coli ribosomes

Ribosomal proteins: their structure and spatial arrangement in prokaryotic ribosomes

During the last 15 years of ribosomal protein study, enormous progress has been made. Each of the proteins from E. coli ribosomes has been isolated, sequenced, and immunologically and physically characterized. Ribosomal proteins from other sources (e.g., from some bacteria, yeast, and rat) have been isolated and studied as well. Several proteins have recently been crystallized, and from the X-ray studies it is expected that much important information on the three-dimensional structure will be forthcoming. Many other proteins can probably be crystallized if suitable preparative procedures and crystallization conditions are found. Tremendous progress has also been made in deciphering the architecture of the ribosome. A battery of different methods has been used to provide the nearest neighbor distances of the ribosomal proteins in situ. Definitive measurements are now emanating from neutron-scattering experiments which also promise to give reasonably accurate radii of gyration of the proteins in situ. In turn, refined immune electron microscopy results supplement the neutron-scattering data and also position the proteins on the subunits themselves. This cannot be done by the other methods. Determination of the three-dimensional RNA structure within the ribosome is still in its infancy. Nonetheless, it is expected that by combining the data from protein-RNA and from RNA-RNA cross-linking studies, the structure of the RNA in situ can be unraveled. Of great interest is the fact that ribosomal subunits and ribosomes themselves have now been crystallized, and low-resolution structural maps have already been obtained. However, to grow suitable crystals and to resolve the ribosomal structure at a sufficiently high resolution remains a great challenge and task to biochemists and crystallographers.

Proteins of the 30-S subunit of Escherichia coli ribosomes which interact directly with natural mRNA

Ultraviolet irradiation (254 nm) of the complexes of MS2 phage RNA (mRNA) and the 30-S subunits of Escherichia coli ribosomes prepared at 0 degrees C and 37 degrees C in the presence and absence of initiation factor 3 (IF-3) causes cross-linking of mRNA with proteins S3, S4, S5, S7, S9, S18 and IF-3. Hence, these proteins interact directly with mRNA within the complex 30-S-subunit . mRNA. Addition of IF-3 results in an increase of the rate of complex formation and decrease of its dissociation rate. The addition of IF-3 changes the relative amounts of cross-linked proteins (mainly S3, S4 and S18). Decreasing the temperature from 37 degrees C to 0 degrees C not only decelerates the complex formation rate but also changes the relative amount of cross-linked proteins, indicating the influence of the conditions on the structure of the complex.

Crosslinking of N-acetyl-phenylalanyl [s4U]tRNAPhe to protein S10 in the ribosomal P site

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 nucleophilic 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.

Ribosomal protein S1 associates with Escherichia coli ribosomal 30-S subunit by means of protein-protein interactions

Ribosomal proteins S1 when associated with the 30-S subunit does not interact with 16-S RNA but its binding is determined mostly by protein-protein interactions. These conclusions are based on the following data. 1. Ultraviolet irradiation (lambda = 254 nm) of the 30-S subunit does not result in the covalent cross-linking of S1 with 16-S RNA at irradiation doses up to 150 quanta/nucleotide, whereas the irradiation under the same conditions of S1 . polynucleotide complexes [S1 . poly(U), S1 . poly(A) and S1 . Q beta phage RNA] induces effective formation of polynucleotide-protein cross-links. 2. Mild treatment of 30-S subunits lacking S-1 with RNase A or with cobra venom endonuclease results in removal of 10--20% of the total nucleotide material but does not affect their sedimentation characteristics of their S1 binding capacity. 3. The association of S1 with S1-depleted 30-S subunits is insensitive to aurintricarboxylic acid, which is known as a strong inhibitor of complex formation between S1 and polynucleotides. 4. Mild trypsin treatment of S1-depleted 30-S subunits greatly reduces their S1 binding capacity.

Physical characteristics of the reconstitution intermediates (RI30 and RI30*) from the 30S ribosomal subunit of Escherichia coli

The isolated reconstitution intermediates (RI30 and RI30*) from the 30S ribosomal subunit of Escherichia coli were found to contain ten proteins. The sedimentation coefficients, diffusion coefficients, density increments, extinction coefficients, and molecular weights were determined for the reconstitution particles and compared with those obtained from the 16S rRNA under identical buffer conditions. The results show that the binding of the proteins on the 16S rRNA at 4 degrees C does not markedly affect the folding of the RNA molecule. However, upon heating the RI30 particle at 40 degrees C to form the RI30* particle, significant folding of the RNA took place, giving a structure considerably more compact than that of the 16S rRNA or the RI30 particle.

Contact-site cross-linking agents

Contact-site cross-linking agents comprise a heterogeneous grouping of cross-linkers which share the common property of being able to cross-link only very closely juxtaposed residues in macromolecular complexes. We have defined contact-site cross-linking arbitrarily as the covalent joining of residues such that they are constrained to a distance which is equivalent to or less than their closest possible steric approach prior to becoming linked (1). We recognize two classes of contact-site cross-linkers, bridge type and zero-length type. The former, such as formaldehyde, become incorporated during cross-linking as one-atom bridges. The latter, such as the carbodiimides, operate as condensing agents with the result that the cross-linked residues become interjoined directly. Contact-site cross-linkers have been used in several ways as specific probes of both the static and dynamic aspects of macromolecular structure. They can yield precise structural information about macromolecular contacts when actual sites of cross-linking are determined by peptide or nucleotide mapping techniques. In this way exact contacts between histones in the nucleosome, between protein and RNA in the ribosome, and between RNA polymerase and DNA have been determined. Contact-site cross-linkers have also been used to probe the perturbation of contacts following macromolecular conformational changes. Certain histone-histone 'cross-linkable' sites are rendered unreactive after induction of chromatin conformational changes thus serving to localize sites of perturbation.

Synthesis of a new reagent, ethyl 4-azidobenzoylaminoacetimidate, and its use for RNA-protein cross-linking within Escherichia coli ribosomal 30-S subunits

A new reagent, ethyl 4-azidobenzoylaminoacetimidate, was prepared in a four-step synthesis starting from 4-aminobenzoic acid. This compound was used to cross-link RNA with proteins within the Escherichia coli 30-S ribosomal subunits. Following the reaction of the imidoester function with protein NH2 groups, photoactivation of the azide binds the other end of the reagent to RNA. The cross-linked proteins were labelled with 125I and identified by bidimensional gel electrophoresis. Proteins S3, S4, S5, S7, S9, S17, S18, and in a lower and more variable yield, S12, S13, S14 and S16 were bound to 16-S RNA. These results were confirmed by isolating cross-linked protein-oligonucleotide complexes from 30-S subunits containing 32P-labelled RNA.

Effect of ultraviolet irradiation on 30-S ribosomal subunits. Identification of the RNA region crosslinked to protein S7

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 x 10(5) 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 irradiation 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.