Minimizing 18O/16O back-exchange in the relative quantification of ribonucleic acids

The use of isotopically labeled endonuclease digestion products allows for the relative quantification of ribonucleic acids (RNAs). This approach utilizes ribonucleases such as RNase T1 to mediate the incorporation of 18O onto the 3'-terminus of the endonuclease digestion product from a solution containing heavy water (H2 18O). The accuracy and precision of relative quantification are dependent on the efficiency of isotope incorporation and minimizing any possible 18O to 16O back-exchange before or during mass spectral analysis. Here, we have investigated the stability of 18O-labeled endonuclease digestion products to back-exchange. In particular, the effects of pH, temperature and presence of RNase on the back-exchange process were examined using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). We have found that back-exchange depends on the presence of the RNase--back-exchange was not observed once the enzyme was removed from the sample. With RNase present, at all pH values examined (from acidic to basic pH), back-exchange was detected at incubation above room temperature. The rates and extent of back-exchange were similar at all pH values. In contrast, back-exchange in the presence of RNase was found to be especially sensitive to incubation temperature--at temperatures below room temperature, minimal back-exchange was detected. However, back-exchange increased as the incubation temperature increased. Based on these findings, appropriate sample-handling and sample storage conditions for isotopically labeled endonuclease digestion products have been identified, and these conditions should improve the accuracy and precision of results from the relative quantification of RNAs obtained by this approach.

Addressing the Challenge of Changing the Specificity of RNase T1 with Rational and Evolutionary Approaches

Although ribonuclease T1 (RNase T1) is one of the best-characterized proteins with respect to structure and enzymatic action, numerous attempts at altering the specificity of the enzyme to cleave single-stranded RNA at the 3'-side of adenylic instead of guanylic residues by rational approaches have failed so far. Recently we generated and characterized the RNase T1 variant RV with a 7200-fold increase in adenylyl-3',5'-cytidine (ApC)/guanylyl-3',5'-cytidine (GpC) preference, with the guanine-binding loop changed from 41-KYNNYE-46 (wt) to 41-EFRNWN-46. Now we have introduced the asparagine residue at position 46 of the wild-type enzyme as a single-point mutation in variant E46N and in combination with the Y45W exchange also occurring in RV. Both variants show an improved ApC/GpC preference with a 1450-fold increase for E46N and a 2100-fold increase for Y45W/E46N in comparison to wild-type activity. We also addressed the challenge of altering enzyme specificity with an evolutionary approach. We have randomly introduced point mutations into the RNase T1 wild-type gene and into the gene of the variant RV with different mutation rates. Altogether we have screened about 100,000 individual clones for activity on RNase indicator plates; 533 of these clones were active. A significant change in substrate specificity towards an ApC preference could not be observed for any of these active variants; this demonstrated the magnitude of the challenge to alter the specificity of this evolutionary perfected enzyme.

Probing functional perfection in substructures of ribonuclease T1: double combinatorial random mutagenesis involving Asn43, Asn44, and Glu46 in the guanine binding loop

Combinatorial random mutageneses involving either Asn43 with Asn44 (set 1) or Glu46 with an adjacent insertion (set 2) were undertaken to explore the functional perfection of the guanine recognition loop of ribonuclease T(1) (RNase T(1)). Four hundred unique recombinants were screened in each set for their ability to enhance enzyme catalysis of RNA cleavage. After a thorough selection procedure, only six variants were found that were either as active or more active than wild type which included substitutions of Asn43 by Gly, His, Leu, or Thr, an unplanned Tyr45Ser substitution and Glu46Pro with an adjacent Glu47 insertion. Asn43His-RNase T(1) has the same loop sequence as that for RNases Pb(1) and Fl(2). None of the most active mutants were single substitutions at Asn44 or double substitutions at Asn43 and Asn44. A total of 13 variants were purified, and these were subjected to kinetic analysis using RNA, GpC, and ApC as substrates. Modestly enhanced activities with GpC and RNA involved both k(cat) and K(M) effects. Mutants having low activity with GpC had proportionately even lower relative activity with RNA. Asn43Gly-RNase T(1) and all five of the purified mutants in set 2 exhibited similar values of k(cat)/K(M) for ApC which were the highest observed and about 10-fold that for wild type. The specificity ratio [(k(cat)/K(M))(GpC)/(k(cat)/K(M))(ApC)] varied over 30 000-fold including a 10-fold increase [Asn43His variant; mainly due to a low (k(cat)/K(M))(ApC)] and a 3000-fold decrease (Glu46Ser/(insert)Gly47 variant; mainly due to a low (k(cat)/K(M))(GpC)) as compared with wild type. It is interesting that k(cat) (GpC) for the Tyr45Ser variant was almost 4-fold greater than for wild type and that Pro46/(insert)Glu47 RNase T(1) is 70-fold more active than the permuted variant (insert)Pro47-RNase T(1) which has a conserved Glu46. In any event, the observation that only 6 out of 800 variants surveyed had wild-type activity supports the view that functional perfection of the guanine recognition loop of RNase T(1) has been achieved.

Conformation of thermally denatured RNase T1 with intact disulfide bonds: a study by small-angle X-ray scattering

Small-angle X-ray scattering of RNase T1 with intact disulfide bonds was measured at 20 degrees and 60 degrees C in order to get insight into the structural changes of the protein caused by thermal denaturation. The radius of gyration increases from R(G)= 1.43 nm to R(G) = 2.21 nm. The conformations of the molecules at 60 degrees C are similar to those of ring-shaped random walk chains. However, the molecules are more compact than one would expect under theta conditions due to attractive interactions between the chain segments. The volume needed for free rotation of the thermally unfolded protein molecules about any axis in solution is five times greater than in the native state whereas the hydrodynamic effective volume is increasing only two times.

Influence of primary sequence transpositions on the folding pathways of ribonuclease T1

The slow folding of circularly permuted variants of ribonuclease T1 has been examined using steady-state and frequency-domain fluorescence spectroscopy. The sequence transpositions have previously been designed by eliminating a restrictive Cys2-Cys10 disulfide bond, adjoining the original termini with a three-peptide Gly-Gly-Gly linker, and conferring new termini to four different solvent-exposed beta-turns interposing secondary structural elements [Garrett, J. B., Mullins, L. S., & Raushel, F. M. (1996) Protein Sci. 5, 204-211]. Each of the mutant proteins continues to be rate-limited in folding by the slow trans to cis isomerizations of Pro39 and Pro55, giving rise to a branched mechanism populated by intermediates with mixed proline isomers. However, the overall rate of folding is increased in accordance with the general destabilizing effect of each circular permutation. Steric hindrances imposed by Trp59 on the isomerization around the Tyr38-Pro39 peptide bond have been implicated in decelerating the folding of RNase T1 [Kiefhaber, T., Grunert, H.-P., Hahn, U., & Schmid, F. X. (1992) Proteins: Struct., Funct., Genet. 12, 171-179]; it is this tertiary restraint which appears to be variably relieved by the sequence transpositions. A fluorescence characterization of Trp59 indicates little difference between fully folded RNase T1 and the variants in terms of its lifetime, accessibility to quenchers, and rotational properties. Yet, within protein that is "completely" denatured, Trp59 exhibits variable flexibility, greatest within the circularly permuted variants folding the fastest. Such differences in the dynamic properties of Trp59 between each denatured protein may be direct evidence for a relative loosening of the tertiary fold maintaining the "deleterious" Trp59-Pro39 interaction in the partially folded intermediates.

DsbA-mediated disulfide bond formation and catalyzed prolyl isomerization in oxidative protein folding

The interrelationship between the acquisition of ordered structure, prolyl isomerization, and the formation of the disulfide bonds in assisted protein folding was investigated by using a variant of ribonuclease T1 (C2S/C10N-RNase T1) with a single disulfide bond and two cis-prolyl bonds as a model protein. The thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase DsbA served as the oxidant for forming the disulfide bond and prolyl isomerase A as the catalyst of prolyl isomerization. Both enzymes are from the periplasm of Escherichia coli. Reduced C2S/C10N-RNase T1 is unfolded in 0 M NaCl, but native-like folded in > or = 2 M NaCl. Oxidation of 5 microM C2S/C10N-RNase T1 by 8 microM DsbA (at pH 7.0, 25 degrees C) is very rapid with a t1/2 of about 10 s (the second-order rate constant is 7 x 10(3) s-1 M-1), irrespective of whether the reduced molecules are unfolded or folded. When they are folded, the product of oxidation is the native protein. When they are denatured, first the disulfide bond is formed in the unfolded protein chains and then the native structure is acquired. This slow reaction is limited in rate by prolyl isomerization and catalyzed by prolyl isomerase. The efficiency of this catalysis is strongly decreased by the presence of the disulfide bond. Apparently, the rank order of chain folding, prolyl isomerization, and disulfide bond formation can vary in the oxidative folding of ribonuclease T1. Such a degeneracy could generally be an advantage for protein folding both in vitro and in vivo.

Purification and primary structure of a new guanylic acid specific ribonuclease from Pleurotus ostreatus

A guanine nucleotide-specific RNase (RNase Po1) was isolated from caps of the fruit bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus. RNase Po1 is most active towards RNA at pH 8.0. The effect of heating on the molar ellipticity at 210 nm of RNase Po1 showed that RNase Po1 is more stable than RNase T1. The primary structure of RNase Po1 was determined to be < ETGVRSCNCAGRSFTGTDVTNAIRSARAGGSGNYPHVYNNFEGFSFSCTPTFFEFPVFRGSVYSGGSPG ADRVIYD- QSGRFCACLTHTGAPSTNGFVECRF. It consisted of 101 amino acid residues, with a molecular weight of 10,760. RNase Po1 has relatively higher sequence homology with RNase T1 family RNase. It contains 6 half cystine residues. The locations of four of them are superimposable on those of RNase U1 and RNase U2. The amino acid residues forming the active site of RNase T1 were well conserved in this RNase. Therefore, RNase Po1 is a unique member of the RNase T1 family in respect of the location of one disulfide bridge, and its stability.

Preparation and properties of RNase T1 immobilized on aminoethyl Bio-Gel P-2

The partially purified RNase T1, when coupled to glutaraldehyde activated aminoethyl Bio-Gel P-2, retained 22-24% activity of the soluble enzyme. Immobilization resulted in an increase in the optimum temperature and temperature stability, but it did not affect the pH optimum. Km and Vmax decreased as a result of immobilization. The bound enzyme showed high stability to repeated use and storage.

A purification method for labile variants of ribonuclease T1

We present a new procedure for the rapid production of ribonuclease T1 variants with decreased stability which could not be purified in satisfying amounts by the existing methods. The major changes from the established procedures are the following. (i) The cells were grown at 28 degrees C rather than at 37 degrees C. (ii) The entire purification was performed at low temperatures (4 degrees C). (iii) Materials for chromatography with high flow rates were used to accelerate protein isolation. (iv) The pH was lowered from 7.5 to 6.0, a condition under which RNase T1 is much more stable. The use of this improved procedure allowed the purification of the labile P39G and P73V variants of RNase T1. By the same technique 300 mg of the wild-type protein could be isolated from 10 liters liquid culture within 3 days. The P39G and the P73V mutations strongly decrease the stability of RNase T1 and the midpoints of the reversible thermal unfolding transition are lowered by 16 and 6 degrees C, respectively, relative to that of the wild-type protein. The decrease in temperature during fermentation and the rapid purification at low temperature and under solvent conditions where the stability of the proteins is high are probably the major reasons for the dramatic increase in yield of these labile variants of RNase T1. Such an approach should be valuable for the production of recombinant proteins in general.

Isoelectric focusing by free solution capillary electrophoresis

A reproducible, quantitative isoelectric focusing method using capillary electrophoresis that exhibits high resolution and linearity over a wide pH gradient was developed. RNase T1 and RNase ba are two proteins that have isoelectric points (pI's) at the two extremes of a pH 3-10 gradient. Site-directed mutants of the former were separated from the wild-type form and pI's determined in the same experiment. The pI's of RNase T1 wild-type, its three mutants, and RNase ba were determined for the first time as 2.9, 3.1, 3.1, 3.3, and 9.0, respectively. The paper describes the protocol for isoelectric focusing by capillary electrophoresis, as well as presenting data describing the linearity, resolution, limits of mass loading, and reproducibility of the method.

Improving purification of recombinant ribonuclease T1

Purification of recombinant RNase T1 and its mutants has been improved by optimizing bacterial growth conditions, periplasmic fraction preparation and the use of a precolumn. The main part of the chromatographic separation could be automated due to the reproducibility of the procedure.

Studies on RNase T1 mutants affecting enzyme catalysis

Using an Escherichia coli overproducing strain secreting Aspergillus oryzae RNase T1, we have constructed and characterized mutants where amino acid residues in the catalytic center have been substituted. The mutants are His40----Thr, Glu58----Asp, Glu58----Gln, His92----Ala and His92----Phe. His92----Ala and His92----Phe mutants are inactive. On the basis of their kcat/Km values, the mutants Glu58----Asp and Glu58----Gln show 10% and 7% residual activity, relative to wild-type RNase T1, whereas the His40----Thr mutant shows 2% activity. The effect of amino acid substitutions on the enzymatic activity of RNase T1 lends further support for a mechanism where Glu58 (possibly activated by His40 and His92 act as general base and acid respectively; this is discussed in terms of the known three-dimensional structure of the enzyme.

A novel method for isolation and concentration of ribonuclease T1 from Taka-Diastase

A novel method for isolation and concentration of RNase T1 from Taka-Diastase is developed. It is a combination method of bentonite adsorption with dialysis desorption. In the present method, RNase T1 can be concentrated about ten-fold, the recovery of total activity was greater than 95%, and specific activity was raised 8-10 folds. Further purification with ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex yields a RNase T1 which contains no pMase. pDase nor RNase T2 activities and a 750 fold increase in specific activity. Our method is more simple, rapid, and efficient than previous methods.

A guanyloribonuclease of mouse liver cytosol

The acid RNase activity of mouse liver cytosol has been resolved into two different enzymes named acid RNase I and acid RNase II respectively. Acid RNase I is a typical pancreatic-type enzyme hydrolyzing CpN and UpN bonds. Acid RNase II, however, hydrolyzes GpN bonds in non-hydrogen-bonded regions of the substrate.

Secretion of recombinant ribonuclease T1 into the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli with the aid of the signal peptide of alkaline phosphatase

The ribonuclease T1 (RNase T1) gene was ligated to a synthetic gene for the signal peptide of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase. When this fusion gene was expressed in E. coli under the control of the trp promoter, active RNase T1 having the correct N-terminal sequence was secreted into the periplasmic space, indicating that the heterologous signal peptide had been cleaved off correctly. The enzyme could be readily purified from the periplasmic fraction with a yield of 1.8 mg from 1 liter culture. Adopting the same strategy, it was possible to produce a labile mutant of RNase T1 (Glu-58----Ala mutant) in E. coli, the yield of the purified mutant enzyme being 2.0 mg from 1 liter culture.

Folding of ribonuclease T1. 1. Existence of multiple unfolded states created by proline isomerization

It is our aim to elucidate molecular aspects of the mechanism of protein folding. We use ribonuclease T1 as a model protein, because it is a small single-domain protein with a well-defined secondary and tertiary structure, which is stable in the presence and absence of disulfide bonds. Also, an efficient mutagenesis system is available to produce protein molecules with defined sequence variations. Here we present a preliminary characterization of the folding kinetics of ribonuclease T1. Its unfolding and refolding reactions are reversible, which is shown by the quantitative recovery of the catalytic activity after an unfolding/refolding cycle. Refolding is a complex process, where native protein is formed on three distinguishable pathways. There are 3.5% fast-folding molecules, which refold within the millisecond time range, and 96.5% slow-folding species, which regain the native state in the time range of minutes to hours. These slow-folding molecules give rise to two major, parallel refolding reactions. The mixture of fast- and slow-folding molecules is produced slowly after unfolding by chain equilibration reactions that show properties of proline isomerization. We conclude that part of the kinetic complexity of RNase T1 folding can be explained on the basis of the proline model for protein folding. This is supported by the finding that the slow refolding reactions of this protein are accelerated in the presence of the enzyme prolyl isomerase. However, several properties of ribonuclease T1 refolding, such as the dependence of the relative amplitudes on the probes, used to follow folding, are not readily explained by a simple proline model.

Purification of recombinant ribonuclease T1 expressed in Escherichia coli

A protocol for the rapid purification of ribonuclease T1 expressed from a chemically synthesized gene cloned into Escherichia coli is described. QAE ion-exchange and Sephadex G-50 chromatography are used to give over 300 mg (88% yield) of pure ribonuclease T1 from 61 of liquid culture in 3 days. We also report a new absorption coefficient for RNase T1: E1%278 nm = 15.4.

Two-dimensional 1H-NMR investigation of ribonuclease T1. Resonance assignments, secondary and low-resolution tertiary structures of ribonuclease T1

Ribonuclease T1 was studied by two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Resonance assignments were obtained for the backbone protons of 95 amino acid residues and most of its side-chain protons using sequence-specific assignment procedures. The secondary structure elements of ribonuclease T1 were identified by an investigation of medium- and long-range nuclear Overhauser effects between the backbone and C beta protons. A low-resolution three-dimensional structure of ribonuclease T1 was deduced from qualitative interpretation of long-range nuclear Overhauser effects.

[Ribonuclease Fl1 from Fusarium lateriticum. Isolation, substrate specificity and amino acid sequence]

Extracellular RNase Fl1 has been purified from the culture filtrate of Fusarium lateritium. The enzyme has been obtained in the electrophoretically homogeneous state with the yield about 90% and 300 fdd degree of purification. RNase Fl1 is a guanyl specific enzyme (EC 3.1.27.3) with the specific activity on RNA 1420 units/mg of protein. The total primary structure of the RNase has been determined by the automated Edman degradation of two non-fractionated peptide hydrolysates produced by trypsin and Staphylococcus aureus protease and of the hydroxylamine cleavage products of the protein. It was shown that hydroxylamine converts the RNase Fl1 N-terminal residue, pyroglutamic acid, into the hydroxyamic acid derivative sensitive to Edman degradation. RNase Fl1 consists of 105 amino acid residues (Mr 10,852) and is a structural homologue of the Fus. moniliforme RNase F1, differing from the latter by 15 amino acid substitutions outside the enzyme active site.

[Ribonuclease Ap1 from Aspergillus pallidus. Purification, primary structure and crystallization]

Extracellular guanyl-specific RNAase of the fungus Aspergillus pallidus (RNAase ApI) was isolated in preparative amounts with a 40% yield and purified to homogeneity (938-fold). The complete amino acid sequence of the protein (104 amino acid residues) was determined: 6 Asp, 4 Asn, 4 Thr, 14 Ser, 3 Glu, 4 Gln, 4 Pro, 15 Gly, 9 Ala, 4 Cys, 6 Val, 2 Ile, 4 Leu, 10 Tyr, 4 Phe, 3 His, 4 Arg, 1 Trp. RNAase ApI has a molecular mass of 11,029 Da and is homologous to the family of fungal extracellular guanyl-specific RNAases. The primary structure of the protein is close to that of RNAase C2 from Asp. clavatus and differs from it by only 4 substitutions of amino acid residues. Monocrystals of RNAase ApI were grown which can be used for the X-ray analysis of proteins.

[Isolation, analysis of amino acid sequence and crystallization of the extracellular ribonuclease Th1 from Trichoderma harzianum-01]

A procedure of large-scale isolation of homogeneous ribonuclease Th1 from cultural filtrates of Trichoderma harzianum with a yield over 50% has been developed. Three ion-exchange chromatographies on CM- and DEAE-cellulose gave 7500 fold purification of the protein with a specific activity of ca. 4500 U/mg. The RNase Th1 is shown to be a basic protein (pI 9.5) with Mr 10,747; it contains 106 amino acid residues (2 Asp, 6 Asn, 9 Thr, 12 Ser, 2 Glu, 1 Gln, 4 Pro, 16 Gly, 14 Ala, 4 Cys, 7 Val, 5 Ile, 2 Leu, 7 Tyr, 6 Phe, 2 His, 4 Lys, 3 Arg). The total amino acid sequence of RNase Th1 was determined and, on comparison with other guanyl-specific fungal RNases, showed a significant degree of homology, thus indicating probability of a common origin. By means of the equilibrium dialysis, crystals of RNase Th1 were obtained with the space group P3(2)21, a = b = 55.7, c = 80.1 A. A preliminary X-ray study of RNase Th1 was undertaken.

Purification of ribonuclease T1

An improved method for purifying ribonuclease T1 from Aspergillus oryzae is described. The method uses gradient elution from DEAE-cellulose and sulfopropyl-Sephadex columns followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 to give almost 100 mg (50% yield) of ribonuclease T1 from 100 g of starting material in less than 5 days.

[Extracellular guanyl-specific ribonuclease Sa from the actinomycete Streptomyces aureofaciens. Primary structure and homology with ribonucleases from bacteria and fungi]

The complete amino acid sequence of a guanyl-specific RNAse from Streptomyces aureofaciens has been established using a rapid method of primary structure analysis which eliminates the peptide fractionation. The automated Edman degradation of the carboxymethylated RNAse Sa and of non-fractionated peptide mixtures produced by tryptic and staphylococcal protease digests of the modified protein were used. The RNAse contains 96 amino acid residues, Mr 10,566. The secondary structures of RNAse Sa and microbial RNAses have been calculated using a modified Chou--Fasman procedure. A comparison of the primary and secondary structures of the RNAses revealed different degrees of sequence homology and a similar distribution of predicted structural regions (alpha-helices, beta-structure and beta-turn). The predicted secondary structure patterns are discussed in the light of the RNAse X-ray analysis date.

Amino acid sequence determination of guanyl-specific ribonuclease Sa from Streptomyces aureofaciens

Using automated Edman degradation of two nonfractionated peptide mixtures of tryptic and staphylococcal protease digests of the protein, the complete amino acid sequence of the guanyl-specific ribonuclease Sa from Streptomyces aureofaciens was established. Ribonuclease Sa contains 96 amino acid residues (Mr 10,566). A 50% sequence homology of ribonuclease Sa to the guanyl-specific ribonuclease St from S. erythreus was found.

Purification of ribonuclease T1 by affinity chromatography

The purification procedure of ribonuclease T1 was greatly improved by introducing affinity chromatography with a new adsorbent, guanosine 5'-phosphate-aminohexyl-Sepharose 4B. The enzyme was purified by only four steps with a high yield (68%) from Taka-Diastase powder. The purified enzyme preparation gave a single peak of protein with a small shoulder on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The peak fraction, amounting to approximately 90% of total proteins, was homogeneous ribonuclease T1. Moreover the shoulder fraction was shown to contain another form of ribonuclease T1 electrophoretically distinguishable from the original one. Comparison of the properties of the fraction containing almost equal amounts of both components with those of original ribonuclease T1 shows that the other form of T1 is identical with the original one in respect to amino acid composition and base specificity. We propose to designate this new form and original one as ribonuclease T1-B and T1-A, respectively.

Preliminary crystal structure analysis of a microbial, guanine-specific ribonuclease St at 2.5 A resolution

The three-dimensional structure of Ribonuclease St (RNase St), the extracellular ribonuclease from Streptomyces erythreus, has been deduced based on a preliminary electron density map at 2.5 A resolution. RNase St has a substrate specificity similar to ribonuclease T1 which catalyzes the splitting of the phosphodiester bond of guanylic acid. Crystals grown as diamond plates have space group C2 with unit cell parameters a=88.4, b=33.0, c=69.0 A, beta = 98.4 degrees having two enzyme molecules per asymmetric unit. Phases were obtained by use of KAu(CN)4, phenylmercuric acetate and UO2 (CH3COO)2. The overall dimensions of the molecule are 40 X 30 X 25 A. The most prominent secondary structural features are two turns of alpha-helix and a three strand stretch of antiparallel beta-sheet. The alpha-carbon backbone of RNase St seems to have no apparent correlation with that of ribonuclease A.

Purification by affinity chromatography and physicochemical properties of the guanine-specific ribonuclease of Fusarium moniliforme

Ribonuclease F1, the guanine-specific ribonuclease of Fusarium moniliforme, was purified to homogeneity by a combination of ethanol fractionation, affinity chromatography and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The adsorbent for the affinity chromatography was synthesized by the coupling of periodate-oxidized guanosine 5'-monophosphate to aminohexyl agarose followed by sodium borohydride reduction. Ribonuclease F2, the minor component, was also purified to near homogeneity by the same procedure. Ribonucleases F1 and F2 had the same molecular weight (about 11,000) as determined by gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. They also showed the same amino acid composition and differed only in the isoelectric point: 4.10 for F1 and 3.96 for F2.

Site of action of RNase I on the 50 S ribosome of Escherichia coli and the association of the enzyme with the partially degraded subunit

The 50 S ribosome of Escherichia coli is partially degraded by RNase I in presence of a high concentration of Mg2+ (10 to 20 mM); the partially degraded subunit becomes resistant to the further action of RNase I. The latter remains latent in association with the subparticle as in case of 30 S ribosome (Neu, H.C., and Heppel, L.A. (1954) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 51, 1267-1274). As a result of nucleolytic action, 23 S RNA is degraded to a smaller size and four proteins (L4, L10, L7/L12) are released from the subunit. From the location of these proteins, it appears that the primary site of action of RNase I is the central protuberance of the armchair model proposed for the subunit (Stoffler, G., and Whitman, H.G. (1977) in Molecular Mechanisms of Protein Biosynthesis (Weissbach, H., and Pestka, S., eds) pp. 117-144, Academic Press, New York).

A new affinity adsorbent for guanyloribonuclease. Guanylyl-(2'-5')-guanosine coupled to aminohexyl-Sepharose

Guanylyl-(2'-5')-guanosine binds to RNase T1 in 1:1 stoichiometry with a dissociation constant of 0.22 mM at pH 5.0 and 25 degrees C. This nucleotide, coupled to aminohexyl-Sepharose 4B, is able to serve as an affinity adsorbent for guanyloribonuclease [EC 3.1.4.8]. The strength of interaction between the adsorbent and various guanyloribonucleases at pH 5.0 was found to decrease in the following order: RNase N1 greater than RNase F1 greater than RNase T1 greater than RNase St. The bound enzymes can be released from the adsorbent either by increase of ionic strength or by increasing the pH from 5.0 to 7.5. The interaction between RNase T1 and the adsorbent is weakened by the presence of a low concentration of 2', 3'-, or 5'-GMP, which are competitive inhibitors of the enzyme. RNase F1 was purified to homogeneity by use of this affinity adsorbent.

[Large-scale purification, crystallization and some physicochemical properties of extracellular guanyl-RNases C2 and Pch1]

The purification of RNase C2 from 76.5 1 of Asp. clavatus cultural fluid and RNase Pch1 from 160 1 of Pen. chrysogenum 152 A cultural fluid was described. 1150-fold purification of RNase C2 was attained by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography and rechromatography on DEAE-cellulose, gel chromatography on Sephadex G-75, and crystallization from diluted acidic buffer. During the preparation of RNase Pch1 additional chromatography on CM-cellulose was used before crystallization, the purification being 2220-fold. It was obtained 600 mg RNase C2 and 900 mg RNase Pch1. Some physico-chemical properties of crystalline RNases were studied.

[Specificity of extracellular alkaline RNAase from Penicillium chrysogenum 152A]

Specificity of chromatographically homogenous extracellular alkaline RNAase from Pen. crysogenum 152A on RNA, synthetic polynucleotides, dinucleosidemonophosphates and nucleoside-2',3'-cyclophosphates is studied. The enzyme is found to release from RNA guanosine-3'-monophosphate and guanosine-2',3'-cyclophosphate only. Guanylic acid is a 3'-terminal nucleotide of oligonucleotides of different length. The enzyme readily hydrolyses poly-I and practically do not splits poly-G. GpN is demonstrated to be a good substrate for the RNase, while G greater than p hydrolyses with a low rate. The RNAase catalyses the synthesis of GpC (47.7 per cent yield) and GpU (38.8 per cent yield). Thus, the RNAase from Pen. chrysogenum 152A is considered to be guanyl-RNAase.