Homologous mammalian brain cell lysate system for the initiation and translation of exogenous mRNAs

In vitro translation in a hamster brain cell-free system

We have developed a cell-free translation system derived from hamster brain tissue. The optimal incorporation conditions were 160 mM K+, 2 mM Mg2+ and microM spermine. The absence of this latter compound could be compensated only by doubling (to 4 mM) Mg2+ concentration. This system was inhibited by cycloheximide and emetine (elongation inhibitors) as well as NaF and aurintricarboxilic acid (ATA) (initiation inhibitors). The nature of the ATA inhibiting effect was studied by kinetic comparison with cycloheximide and polyribosome sedimentation pattern.

The mode of action of restrictocin and mitogillin on eukaryotic ribosomes. Inhibition of brain protein synthesis, cleavage and sequence of the ribosomal RNA fragment

The relationship between the process of rat brain protein synthesis inhibition by restrictocin and mitogillin and the induction of a specific cleavage in 28S rRNA has been examined. Restrictocin or mitogillin at a concentration of 6 nM inhibits protein synthesis to a level of 80%. The inhibition induced by 6 nM alpha-sarcin is of the same order, indicating that those molecules all catalytically inhibit protein synthesis. When restrictocin or mitogillin was reduced and alkylated, a 100-fold higher concentration of these chemically modified molecules was needed in order to obtain the same inhibition as with native molecules, suggesting a close correlation between activity and configuration of the inhibitors. The inhibitory activity of restrictocin or mitogillin was completely lost after oxidation with performic acid. The inhibition of protein synthesis was always correlated with the production of a fragment from the 3'-end of the 28S rRNA. This rRNA fragment had the same electrophoretic mobility as that produced by alpha-sarcin. The 5'-end sequence of the rRNA fragment produced by restrictocin, mitogillin or alpha-sarcin is AGGAA, demonstrating that restrictocin and mitogillin inhibit protein synthesis in the same way as does alpha-sarcin. The conservation of this region of the rRNA from archaebacteria to eukaryotic ribosomes indicates its importance in the elongation process.