Heterogeneity of large subunits of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from Hydrogenomonas eutropha

Homogeneous ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase purified from autotrophically grown $\text{Hydrogenomonas eutropha}$ can be dissociated with sodium dodecylsulfate into small 15,000-dalton subunits and large 56,000- and 52,000-dalton subunits (the latter in a mole ratio of 5:3). The overal mole ratio of small to large subunits is 1.08. Considering the molecular weight of the native enzyme (516,000), the simplest quarternary structure of this enzyme consists of 8 large (mixed) and 8 small subunits. Isolation of the enzyme from cells under conditions that should minimize proteolysis has no effect upon the observed heterogeneity of the large subunits.