Mitochondrial and cytoplasmic ribosomes from mammalian tissues. Further characterization of ribosomal subunits and validity of buoyant-density methods for determination of the chemical composition and partial specific volume of ribonucleoprotein particles

Abstract

1. At 0–4°C mitochondrial ribosomes (55S) dissociate into 39S and 29S subunits after exposure to 300mm-K+ in the presence of 3.0mm-Mg2+. When these subunits are placed in a medium containing a lower concentration of K+ ions (25mm), approx. 75% of the subparticles recombine giving 55S monomers. 2. After negative staining the large subunits (20.3nm width) usually show a roundish profile, whereas the small subunits (12nm width) show an elongated, often bipartite, profile. The dimensions of the 55S ribosomes are 25.5nm×20.0nm×21.0nm, indicating a volume ratio of mitochondrial to cytosol ribosomes of 1:1.5. 3. The 39S and 29S subunits obtained in high-salt media at 0–4°C have a buoyant density of 1.45g/cm3; from the rRNA content calculated from buoyant density and from the rRNA molecular weights it is confirmed that the two subparticles have weights of 2.0×106 daltons and 1.20×106 daltons; the weights of the two subunits of cytosol ribosomes are 2.67×106 and 1.30×106 daltons. 4. The validity of the isodensity-equilibrium-centrifugation methods used to calculate the chemical composition of ribosomes was reinvestigated; it is confirmed that (a) reaction of ribosomal subunits with 6.0% (v/v) formaldehyde at 0°C is sufficient to fix the particles, so that they remain essentially stable after exposure to dodecyl sulphate or centrifugation in CsCl, and (b) the partial specific volume of ribosomal subunits is a simple additive function of the partial specific volumes of RNA and protein. The RNA content is linearly related to buoyant density by the equation RNA (% by wt.)=349.5−(471.2×1/ρCsCl), where 1/ρCsCl=[unk]RNP (partial specific volume of ribonucleoprotein). 5. The nucleotide compositions of the two subunit rRNA species of mitochondrial ribosomes from rodents (42% and 43% G+C) are distinctly different from those of cytoplasmic ribosomes.