Thermal stability of ribosomes from a psychrophilic and a mesophilic yeast

Abstract

Ribosomes from the obligately psychrophilic yeast, Candida gelida, are rendered completely non-functional after exposure to 40 C for 5 minutes. This heat-induced impairment of ribosomal function is characterized by a reduced capacity to bind charged sRNA and is accompanied by physical degradation. Ribosomes from the mesophilic yeast, Candida utilis, however, are functionally and physically unaffected when subjected to similar treatment. The dissimilar thermal stabilities may be attributed to marked differences in the ribonucleoproteins present in the two species.