Occurrence, isolation, and characterization of polyribosomes in yeast

This report details the procedural requirements for preparing cell-free extracts of yeast rich in polyribosomes. This enabled us to demonstrate the occurrence of polyribosomes in yeast, to show their role in protein synthesis, and to devise methods for their resolution and isolation. When certain precautions are met (the use of log phase cells, rapidly halting cell growth, gentle methods of disruption, sedimentation through exponential density gradients, etc.), individual polyribosome size classes ranging up to the heptosome can be fractionated and separated from their nearest neighbors. Larger size classes are resolved partially among themselves, free of smaller polyribosomes. This was confirmed by extensive electron micrographic studies of material from the various fractions obtained upon density gradient centrifugation of yeast extracts. Modifications of the gradients and procedure should allow fractionation and isolation of the larger polyribosomes, including those containing polycistronic messages. Yeast polyribosomes are disaggregated to single ribosomes by longer term grinding, cell disruption by the French pressure cell, the Hughes press, or by incubation with dilute RNAse. Yeast polyribosomes are active in the incorporation of amino acids into polypeptide; the single ribosomes exhibit only slight activity. The latter activity is probably due to the presence of a small fraction of monosomes still containing mRNA. Poly-U stimulates amino acid incorporation only in the single ribosomes.     

Identification and Precipitation of the Polyribosomes in Chlamydomonas reinhardi Involved in the Synthesis of the Large Subunit of d-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase

The size classes of polyribosomes involved in the synthesis of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit were determined by binding radioiodinated specific antibodies to polyribosomal preparations from Chlamydomonas reinhardi. Antibodies specific to the denatured large subunit and to the native enzyme bound primarily to small polyribosomes (N = two to five ribosomes). The binding of antibodies to small polyribosomes was unexpected since the large subunit is a large polypeptide (molecular weight 55,000) coded for by a corresponding large mRNA (12-14S). Control experiments showed that this unexpected pattern of antibody binding was not a result of messenger RNA degradation, "run-off" of ribosomes from polyribosomes, or adventitious binding of the completed enzyme to a selected class of polyribosomes. In addition, polyribosomes bearing nascent large subunit chains have been immunoprecipitated from small polyribosome fractions. A large RNA species that can direct the synthesis of large subunit in vitro was extracted from small polyribosomes.     

Effect of a modified separation procedure on the size and protein-synthetic activity of membrane-bound liver polyribosomes

1. Various subcellular fractions containing ribosomes were isolated from rat liver. 2. In the presence of [(14)C]leucine and Sephadex-treated cell sap the radioactivity incorporated into the synthesized protein resulting from the incubation of microsomal preparations or deoxycholate-treated polyribosomes was dependent on the amount of rRNA incubated. In contrast, when Sephadex-treated post-mitochondrial supernatant was incubated, the radioactivity incorporated into the synthesized protein was independent of the amount of rRNA incubated. 3. Microsomal preparations and membrane-bound ribosomes, prepared by the standard procedure, incorporated less [(14)C]leucine into protein, per mg of rRNA incubated, than free or deoxycholate-treated polyribosomes; accordingly, polyribosomes associated with the former fractions were found mainly as monomers. 4. If microsomal fractions or membrane-bound ribosomes were prepared by a simple modification of the standard procedure, i.e. by centrifugation on to a ;cushion' of 2m-sucrose, their protein-synthesizing activity was of the same order as that of the original post-mitochondrial supernatant, and membrane-free and deoxycholate-treated polyribosomes; in this case polyribosome profiles showed that very little degradation had occurred and compared well with those obtained for post-mitochondrial supernatant and isolated polyribosomes. 5. A method is described (Appendix) that provides a rapid and reliable assessment of the concentration of rRNA in subcellular fractions.     

Free and membrane-bound chloroplast polyribosomes Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Over half of the chloroplast ribosomes isolated from growing cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are bound to chloroplast thylakoid membranes if completion of nascent polypeptide chains is prevented by chloramphenicol. The free chloroplast ribosomes are recovered in homogenate supernatants, and presumably originate from the chloroplast stroma. Only about 10% of these free chloroplast ribosomes are polyribosomes, even under conditions when 70% of free cytoplasm ribosomes are recovered as polyribosomes. The nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 liberates atypical polyribosomes (Type I), from membranes, which require both ribonuclease and proteases for complete conversion to monomeric ribosomes. Thus Type I particles are held together by mRNA but are also held together by peptide bonds. These Type I polyribosomes probably are not bound to intact membrane, but might be bound to some protein-containing sub-membrane particle. The Type I polyribosomes are dissociated to ribosomal subunits by puromycin and high salt, and contained 0.2 to 1 nascent chain per ribosome. If membranes are treated with Nonidet and proteases at the same time, polyribosomes which are digested to monomeric ribosomes by ribonuclease alone (Type II) are obtained. Type II polyribosomes are smaller than Type I, and probably represent the true size distribution of polyribosomes on the membranes. At least 50% of the membrane-bound ribosomes are polyribosomes, since that much membrane bound chloroplast RNA is recovered as Type I or Type II polyribosomes.     

Conformation transitions of eukaryotic polyribosomes during multi-round translation

Using sedimentation and cryo electron tomography techniques, the conformations of eukaryotic polyribosomes formed in a long-term cell-free translation system were analyzed over all the active system lifetime (20–30 translation rounds during 6–8 h in wheat germ extract at 25°C). Three distinct types of the conformations were observed: (i) circular polyribosomes, varying from ring-shaped forms to circles collapsed into double rows, (ii) linear polyribosomes, tending to acquire planar zigzag-like forms and (iii) densely packed 3D helices. At the start, during the first two rounds of translation mostly the circular (ring-shaped and double-row) polyribosomes and the linear (free-shaped and zigzag-like) polyribosomes were formed (‘juvenile phase’). The progressive loading of the polyribosomes with translating ribosomes induced the opening of the circular polyribosomes and the transformation of a major part of the linear polyribosomes into the dense 3D helices (‘transitional phase’). After 2 h from the beginning (about 8–10 rounds of translation) this compact form of polyribosomes became predominant, whereas the circular and linear polyribosome fractions together contained less than half of polysomal ribosomes (‘steady-state phase’). The latter proportions did not change for several hours. Functional tests showed a reduced translational activity in the fraction of the 3D helical polyribosomes.     

Synthesis of thyroglobulin in the polyribosome cell-free system of the thyroid gland]

Protein synthesis (in particular, thyroglobulin) is studied in a cell-free system containing polyribosomes of thyroid gland. After the incubation with radioactive label, ribosomes were centrifugated, supernatant was dialyzed against 0.05 M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.2 for a night, concentrated by ficol and centrifugated in 5-20% linear sucrose gradient. 14C-radioactivity of 19S fraction (thyroglobulin) was shown to comprise about 25% of total radioactivity. The rest radioactivity was found in 3--8S fractions. The distribution of the radioactivity as it was shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is as follows: 27S--11.0%; 19S--14.2%; 12S--5.8% and 4S--7.6% of total radioactivity in polyacrylamide gel. It is supposed that two successive processes take place in thyroid gland: a synthesis of thyroglobulin subunits and an exchange of new synthesized subunits with presynthesized ones.     

Polyribosomes from Pear Fruit: Changes during Ripening and Senescence

Polysome profiles were examined from lyophilized peel tissue of ripening pear (Pyrus communis, L. var. Passe-Crassane). Messenger RNA chains bearing up to eight ribosomes (octamers) were resolved and exhibited the highest absorption peak when ribonuclease activity was eliminated during extraction. Neither normal ripening nor the increase of large polyribosomes that normally accompanies ripening and senescence of the fruit occurred when pretreatment at 0 C was omitted. Normal ripening and increase of large polyribosomes would, however, be initiated by an ethylene treatment. The size distribution of the polyribosomes remained essentially constant throughout a 4-month cold storage; there was, however, a large increase in ribosomes by the 12th week of storage.     

The sedimentation of rat skeletal-muscle ribosomes. Effect of hydrocortisone, insulin and diet

1. The influence of hydrocortisone, insulin and diet on the size distribution of ribosomes in a post-mitochondrial supernatant prepared from rat skeletal muscle was studied by sedimentation analysis with a linear 15-40% (w/v) sucrose gradient. 2. Within 4hr. after the injection of 5mg. of hydrocortisone to well-nourished rats, a decrease in the yield per g. of muscle and proportion of total RNA due to polyribosomes was observed. Similar results were obtained in rats given a protein-free diet for 3 days before administration of the hormone. 3. Insulin injection increased the yield and proportion of polyribosomes within 2hr. and decreased the proportion of the lighter ribosomal aggregates. Similar results were noted in rats given a protein-free diet for 3 days before injection. A protein-free diet given for 3 days decreased the yield and proportion of polyribosomes. Insulin did not increase the yield of polyribosomes if rats were starved for 52hr. before injection, but decreased the yield and proportion of the lighter ribosome species. 4. A 52hr. period of starvation or 2,4-dinitrophenol (15mg./kg. body wt.) given 1hr. before the rats were killed resulted in a decreased yield and proportion of polyribosomes, and, within 6hr. of re-feeding the rats with protein-free diets, an increased concentration of polyribosomes was noted. 5. The effects of a protein-free diet, hydrocortisone and insulin on the sedimentation of muscle ribosomes were found to be in accord with their net effects on muscle protein synthesis.     

Protein Synthesis by Free and Bound Paramecium Ribosomes in Vivo and in Vitro

SYNOPSIS. Cytoplasmic extracts of Paramecium aurelia were fractionated by density gradient centrifugation. The gradient fractions were characterized by chemical analysis and electron microscopy. Membrane-bound ribosomes were separated from free polyribosomes and the ability of each of these forms to incorporate C¹⁴-leucine into protein was tested. Incorporation was measured in both in vivo and in vitro systems, and similar results were obtained in both types of experiment except that there was little release of soluble labelled protein in the in vitro system. Paramecium appears to synthesize most of its protein on free polyribosomes but membrane-bound ribosomes constitute an important protein synthetic fraction, perhaps accounting for as much as 30% of the total synthesis. When isolated in the in vitro system, increasing concentration of the ribosome fraction gave increased incorporation, but increasing concentration of the membrane fraction gave decreased incorporation after a critical value. This inhibitory effect can be removed by adding excess cytoplasmic-supernatant to the system. The nature of the association of ribosomes with membranes is discussed.     

THE IN VIVO PROTEIN SYNTHETIC ACTIVITIES OF FREE VERSUS MEMBRANE-BOUND RIBONUCLEOPROTEIN IN A PLASMA-CELL TUMOR OF THE MOUSE

Cytoplasmic extracts of the transplantable RPC-20 plasma-cell tumor were fractionated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Four major fractions were distinguished: (a) microsomes and mitochondria; (b) membrane-free polyribosomes; (c) free monomeric ribosomes; and (d) soluble fraction. The fractions were analyzed for RNA and lipid phosphorus, and their particulate components were characterized by electron microscopy. Particular attention was paid to the problem of membrane contamination of the free polyribosome fraction. It was shown that this contamination was small in relation with the total content of ribosomes in the fraction, and that it consisted primarily of smooth-surfaced membranes which were not physically associated with the polyribosomes themselves. In vivo incorporation studies were carried out by injecting tumor-bearing animals intravenously with leucine-C¹⁴, removing the tumors at various times thereafter, and determining the distribution of protein radioactivity among the gradient-separated cytoplasmic fractions. The free polyribosome and the microsome-mitochondria fractions constituted active centers for protein synthesis. It was shown that nascent protein of the free polyribosome fractions was not associated significantly with the contaminating membranes. The kinetics of labeling during incorporation times up to 11 min suggested that protein synthesized on the free polyribosomes was rapidly transferred in vivo to the soluble fraction of the cell, while protein synthesized by the microsomes and mitochondria remained localized within these elements. It was estimated that the free polyribosome fraction and the microsome-mitochondria fraction accounted for approximately equal proportions of the total cytoplasmic protein synthesis in vivo.     

Comparative characteristics of protein-synthesizing apparatus of diploid and aneuploid human embryo fibroblasts

The time of average polypeptide chain synthesis (tc), distribution of synthesized polypeptides according to their molecular masses, the ratio of translating and nontranslating ribosomes and polyribosomes of different size have been analyzed for diploid and aneuploid strains of fibroblasts. The magnitude of tc as well as the size of polypeptide chains synthesized were found to be similar for both kinds of fibroblasts. The relative cellular content of the translating ribosomes has been shown to decrease during the transition of cells from both strains to the stationary growth phase. The relative content of heavy polyribosomes is lower in aneuploid cells as compared with that in diploid cells. The process of translation in aneuploid fibroblasts is concluded to have no essential deviations from normal.     

Protein synthesis in resting and stimulated human lymphocytes

Summary The ribosomal profiles in lysates from resting and phytohemagglutinin stimulated human lymphocytes have been analyzed by sucrose gradient centrifugation. The percentage of polyribosomes increased during lymphocyte transformation reaching a maximal value of 60 to 70% of the total ribosomes after 72 hours of mitogen addition. This time period coincides with maximalin vivo protein synthesis. On the other hand, in nonstimulated lymphocytes, about 25% of the ribosomal particles appeared as aggregates, independently of the incubation period.Experiments performed with homologous cell free systems containing ribosomes and supernatant fluids prepared from unstimulated or activated lymphocytes demonstrate that the mixtures containing both components from stimulated lymphocytes are several fold more active in polypeptide synthesis than the systems which contain ribosomal particles and cell sap from resting cells. Assays carried out with mixtures combining the components from both sources indicate that the increased activity depends on ribosomes as well as on the supernatant fractions.Dedicated to Professor LUIS F. LELOIR on the occasion of his 70^th birthday.     

Polyribosomes from peas: an improved method for their isolation in the absence of ribonuclease inhibitors

Profiles of polyribosomes were obtained from etiolated stem segments of Pisum sativum L. var. Alaska isolated in various buffers. Tissue homogenized in a medium containing 0.2 m tris-HCl, pH 8.5, 0.2 m sucrose, 30 mm MgCl₂, and 60 mm KCl yielded polyribosomes exhibiting far less degradation than tissue homogenized in conventional media containing tris-HCl at lower ionic strength and pH. A further decrease in degradation was found when polyribosomes were sedimented through a sucrose pad buffered at pH 8.5 prior to centrifugation. Increased separation was obtained using heavy (125-500 mg/ml), linear sucrose gradients. Using these techniques, messenger RNA species bearing up to 12 ribosomes (dodecamers) were resolved, with messenger RNA chains bearing 9 ribosomes (nonamers) being the most abundant (having the highest absorption peak). The data presented suggest that buffer of high ionic strength and high pH was more effective in preventing degradation of polyribosomes than was diethyl pyrocarbonate and, furthermore, that ratios involving large polyribosomes (hexamers and larger) were more accurate indices of degradation than were ratios involving total polyribosomes.     

Analysis of cytoplasmic RNA and polyribosmomes from feline leukemia virus-infected cells.

Cytoplasmic virus-specific RNA and polyribosomes from a chronically infected feline thymus tumor cell line, F-422, were analyzed by using in vitro-synthesized feline leukemia virus (Rickard strain) (R-FeLV) complementary DNA (cDNA) probe. By hybridization kinetics analysis, cytoplasmic, polyribosomat, and nuclear RNAs were found to be 2.1, 2.6, and 0.7% virus specific, respectively. Size classes within subcellular fractions were determined by sucrose gradient centrifugation in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide followed by hybridization. The cytoplasmic fraction contained a 28S size class, which corresponds to the size of virion subunit RNA, and 36S, 23S, and 15 to 18S RNA species. The virus-specific 36S, 23S, and 15 to 18S species but not the 28S RNA were present in both the total and polyadenylic acid-containing polyribosomal RNA. Anti-FeLV gamma globulin bound to rapidly sedimenting polyribosomes, with the peak binding at 400S. The specificity of the binding for nascent virus-specific protein was determined in control experiments that involved mixing polyribosomes with soluble virion proteins, absorption of specific gamma globulin with soluble virion proteins, and puromycin-induced nascent protein release. The R-FeLV cDNA probe hybridized to RNA in two polyribosomal regions (approximately 400 to 450S and 250S) within the polyribosomal gradients before but not after EDTA treatment. The 400 to 450S polyribosomes contained three major peaks of virus-specific RNA at 36S, 23S, and 15 to 18S, whereas the 250S polyribosomes contained predominantly 36S and 15 to 18S RNA. Further experiments suggest that an approximately 36S minor subunit is present in virion RNA.     

Membrane-bound ribosomes of myeloma cells. III. The role of the messenger RNA and the nascent polypeptide chain in the binding of ribosomes to membranes

Mild ribonuclease treatment of the membrane fraction of P3K cells released three types of membrane-bound ribosomal particles: (a) all the newly made native 40S subunits detected after 2 h of [3H]uridine pulse. Since after a 3-min pulse with [35S]methionine these membrane native subunits appear to contain at least sevenfold more Met-tRNA per particle than the free native subunits, they may all be initiation complexes with mRNA molecules which have just become associated with the membranes; (b) about 50% of the ribosomes present in polyribosomes. Evidence is presented that the released ribosomes carry nascent chains about two and a half to three times shorter than those present on the ribosomes remaining bound to the membranes. It is proposed that in the membrane-bound polyribosomes of P3K cells, only the ribosomes closer to the 3' end of the mRNA molecules are directly bound, while the latest ribosomes to enter the polyribosomal structures are indirectly bound through the mRNA molecules; (c) a small number of 40S subunits of polyribosomal origin, presumably initiation complexes attached at the 5' end of mRNA molecules of polyribosomes. When the P3K cells were incubated with inhibitors acting at different steps of protein synthesis, it was found that puromycin and pactamycin decreased by about 40% the proportion of ribosomes in the membrane fraction, while cycloheximide and anisomycin had no such effect. The ribosomes remaining on the membrane fraction of puromycin-treated cells consisted of a few polyribosomes, and of an accumulation of 80S and 60S particles, which were almost entirely released by high salt treatment of the membranes. The membrane-bound ribosomes found after pactamycin treatment consisted of a few polyribosomes, with a striking accumulation of native 60S subunits and an increased number of native 40S subunits. On the basis of the observations made in this and the preceding papers, a model for the binding of ribosomes to membranes and for the ribosomal cycle on the membranes is proposed. It is suggested that ribosomal subunits exchange between free and membrane-bound polyribosomes through the cytoplasmic pool of free native subunits, and that their entry into membrane-bound ribosomes is mediated by mRNA molecules associated with membranes.     

The synthesis and secretion of cartilage procollagen.

1. Isolation of free and membrane-bound ribosomes from embryonic chick sternal-cartilage cells labelled for 4min with [14C]proline and their subsequent analysis for hydroxy[14C]proline indicated that cartilage procollagen biosynthesis occurs on bound ribosomes. 2. Nascent procollagen polypeptides on bound ribosomes isolated from cells labelled with [14C]lysine were found to contain hydroxy[14C]lysine indicating that hydroxylation of lysine commences while the growing chains are still attached to the ribosomes. 3. Analysis of bound ribosomes labelled with either [14C]proline or [14C]lysine on sucrose density gradients indicated that cartilage procollagen is synthesized on large polyribosomes in the range 250-400S. 4. Microsomal preparations isolated from cells pulse-labelled for 4 min with [14C]proline were used to determine the direction of release of nascent procollagen polypeptides. Puromycin induced the vectorial release of nascent procollagen polypeptides into the microsomal vesicles suggesting that the first step in the secretion of procollagen polypeptides is their transfer from the ribosomes through the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum into the cisternal space. 5. The procollagen polypeptides secreted by cartilage cells were shown to be linked by inter-chain disulphide bonds. 6. Examination of the state of aggregation of pro-alpha chains in subcellular fractions isolated from cartilage cells labelled with [14C]proline for various periods of time have provided data on the timing and location of inter-chain disulphide-bond formation. This process commences in the rough endoplasmic reticulum after the release of completed pro-alpha chains from membrane-bound ribosomes. Pro-alpha chains isolated from fractions of smooth endoplasmic reticulum were virtually all present as disulphide-bonded aggregates, suggesting that either disulphide bonding is completed in this cellular compartment, or that procollagen needs to be in a disulphide-bonded form to be transferred to this region of the endoplasmic reticulum. 7. Comparison of these results with previously published data on disulphide bonding in tendon cells suggest that the rate of inter-chain disulphide-bond formation is significantly slower in cartilage cells.     

Developmental changes in the protein and ribonucleic acid components of rat brain messenger ribonucleic acid-protein particles isolated from free polyribosomes by oligo(dT)-cellulose chromatography.

A study has been made of the developmental changes that occur in the RNA and protein moieties of mRNA-protein particles isolated from newborn and adult rat forebrain free polyribosomes. mRNA-protein particles were isolated by oligo(dT)-cellulose chromatography from salt-washed polyribosomes dissociated by puromycin/0.5 M-KCl treatment as two fractions (E1 and E2) by using Tris/HCl/NaCl eluting buffers containing respectively 25 and 50% (v/v) formamide. Isopycnic centrifugation on CsCl gradients showed that the newborn-derived fractions E1 and E2 has buoyant densities of 1.48--1.50 and 1.41--1.43 g/cm3. Adult-derived E1 and E2 fractions had corresponding values of 1.47 and 1.42 g/cm3. The pooled mRNA-protein particles from the E1 and E2 fractions after deproteinization with proteinase K sedimented with a mean size of approx. 18 S on a sucrose gradient containing 85% formamide with little differences between mRNA molecules from newborn and adult. The mean lengths of the poly(A) segments were similar, being about 130 nucleotides long. Distinct changes were found in the protein composition of the mRNA-protein particles. Fractions E1 and E2 from the newborn contained two major proteins of mol.wts. 74 000 and 52 000 with differences in the relative proportions in each fraction. In contrast, adult fractions E1 and E2 contained predominantly the larger protein. However, the adult fraction E2 contained a more heterogeneous population of minor bands of proteins, including that of mol.wt. 52 000. The findings are discussed briefly in relation to other changes in the developing brain.     

RNA metabolism of murine leukemia virus. III. Identification and quantitation of endogenous virus-specific mRNA in the uninfected BALB/c cell line JLS-V9.

mRNA containing type C endogenous virus-specific sequences was indentified in JLS-V9 cells (an uninfected BALB/c-derived cell line) by annealing extracted RNA with 3H-labeled virus-specific DNA. The criterion for virus-specific RNA being mRNA was that it co-sedimented with polyribosomes in a sucrose gradient and that it changed to lower sedimentation value if polyribosomes were disagregated prior to centrifugation. It was not possible to identify virus-specific mRNA in unfractionated cytoplasm from JLS-V9 cells since large amounts of virus-specific ribonucleoprotein which was not mRNA had sedimentation values similar to polyribosomes and obscured the analysis. Virus-specific mRNA could be readily identified in polyribosomes which had been purified through a step gradient of 1 and 2 M sucrose, and consisted of two species with sedimentation values of 38S and 27S. The amount of virus-specific RNA in different JLS-V9 cell fractions was quantitated in comparison to cell fractions obtained from M-MuLV clone no. 1 cells (a line of NIH 3T3 cells producing Moloney murine leukemia virus). Approximately 40% of the total virus-specific mRNA was recovered in the purified polyribosomes in M-MuLV no. 1 cells. The amount of virus-specific RNA on polyribosomes appeared to be quite similar for JLS-V9 cells and M-MuLV clone no.1 cells .In contrast, the level of virus-specific protein in JLS-V9 cells (as monitored by radioimmunoassay of the internal structural protein p30) was less than 2% the level in the M-MuLV clone no. 1 cells.     

Topology of mRNA chain in isolated eukaryotic double-row polyribosomes

In the process of protein synthesis, the translating ribosomes of eukaryotic cells form polyribosomes that are found to be multiplex functional complexes possessing elements of ordered spatial organization. As revealed by a number of electron microscopy studies, the predominant visible configurations of the eukaryotic polyribosomes are circles (circular polyribosomes) and two-stranded formations (so-called double-row polyribosomes). The “long” (i.e. heavy loaded) polyribosomes are usually represented by double-row structures, which can be interpreted as either topologically circular (“col-lapsed rings”), or topologically linear (zigzags or helices). In the present work we have analyzed the mRNA path within the eukaryotic polyribosomes, isolated from a wheat germ cell-free translation system, by integrating two approaches: the visualization of mRNA ends in polyribosomes by marking them with gold nanoparticles (3′-end) and initiating 40S subunits (5′-end), as well as by the cryoelectron tomography. Examination of the location of the mRNA markers in polyribosomes and mutual orientation of ribosomes in them has shown that the double-row polyribosomes of the same sample can have both circular and linear arrangements of their mRNA.     

Different binding of poly(A)-containing and poly(A)-free fractions of nuclear ribonucleic acid to ribosomes from rat liver.

Total nuclear RNA extracted from nuclei of rat liver cells by phenol/chloroform in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate was separated by combined gel filtration on Sepharose 4 B and affinity chromatography on poly(U) Sepharose into fractions differing in their molecular weights and contents of poly(A) sequences. The poly(A)-containing 45-S RNA became labelled most rapidly if rats were administered [3H] orotic acid. This fraction showed a high template activity when added to postmitochondrial supernatants of the Krebs ascites tumour. Fractions of nRNA, free of poly(A) sequences, had no stimulating effect on protein synthesis in this system. The 45-S RNA-containing poly(A) was readily bound to crude polyribosomes from rat liver at 0 degrees C and both ATP and GTP were necessary for this reaction. Sucrose gradient analyses provided evidence that this RNA species is bound predominantly to 80-S ribosomes. No binding was obtained with polyribosomes washed with 0.5 M KCl. The binding ability of washed polyribosomes was restored by the addition of the ribosomal wash fraction or rat liver cytosol. Crude polyribosomes bound significantly lower quantities of nRNA species free of poly(A) when compared with poly(A)-45-S RNA. The label was scattered through the whole ribosomal sedimentation pattern with no predominant peaks and the binding reaction required neither soluble factors nor nucleotide cofactors. The labelling kinetics and high template activity of poly(A)-45-S nRNA indicate that this fraction contains precursors of cytoplasmic mRNA. Requirements for soluble factors and nucleotide cofactors in the binding of this RNA species to 80-S ribosomes suggest that this binding, unlike that of other nRNA species, has a specific mechanism resembling that of mRNA binding during peptide initiation.