A crystal form of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from Nicotiana tabacum in the activated state

A new crystal form of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39) from Nicotiana tabacum has been obtained at alkaline pH with polyethylene glycol 8000 in the presence of a non-ionic detergent, beta-octyl glucoside. The crystals are grown at room temperature by the hanging-drop vapor diffusion technique from a protein solution containing enzyme complexed with CO2, Mg2+, and the transition state analog 2-C-carboxy-D-arabinitol-1,5-bisphosphate. The crystals belong to the the space group P3(1)21 (or P3(2)21) with the cell parameters a = 204.6 A, and c = 117.4 A (1 A = 0.1 nm). The asymmetric unit contains half (L4S4: L, large subunit, 53,000 Mr; S, small subunit, 15,000 Mr) of a hexadecameric molecule (L8S8, 540,000 Mr). The crystals diffract to at least 2.6 A Bragg spacing and are suitable for X-ray structure determination.     

Crystal structure of the 100 kDa arsenite oxidase from Alcaligenes faecalis in two crystal forms at 1.64 A and 2.03 A

BACKGROUND: Arsenite oxidase from Alcaligenes faecalis NCIB 8687 is a molybdenum/iron protein involved in the detoxification of arsenic. It is induced by the presence of AsO(2-) (arsenite) and functions to oxidize As(III)O(2-), which binds to essential sulfhydryl groups of proteins and dithiols, to the relatively less toxic As(V)O(4)(3-) (arsenate) prior to methylation. RESULTS: Using a combination of multiple isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering (MIRAS) and multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) methods, the crystal structure of arsenite oxidase was determined to 2.03 A in a P2(1) crystal form with two molecules in the asymmetric unit and to 1.64 A in a P1 crystal form with four molecules in the asymmetric unit. Arsenite oxidase consists of a large subunit of 825 residues and a small subunit of approximately 134 residues. The large subunit contains a Mo site, consisting of a Mo atom bound to two pterin cofactors, and a [3Fe-4S] cluster. The small subunit contains a Rieske-type [2Fe-2S] site. CONCLUSIONS: The large subunit of arsenite oxidase is similar to other members of the dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) reductase family of molybdenum enzymes, particularly the dissimilatory periplasmic nitrate reductase from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, but is unique in having no covalent bond between the polypeptide and the Mo atom. The small subunit has no counterpart among known Mo protein structures but is homologous to the Rieske [2Fe-2S] protein domain of the cytochrome bc(1) and cytochrome b(6)f complexes and to the Rieske domain of naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase.     

Dissociation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from spinach by urea

The dissociation of D-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from spinach, which consists of eight large subunits (L, 53 kDa) and eight small subunits (S, 14 kDa) and thus has a quarternary structure L8S8, has been investigated using a variety of physical techniques. Gel chromatography using Sephadex G-100 indicates the quantitative dissociation of the small subunit S from the complex at 3-4 M urea (50 mM Tris/Cl pH 8.0, 0.5 mM EDTA, 1 mM dithiothreitol and 5 mM 2-mercaptoethanol). The dissociated S is monomeric. Analytical ultracentrifuge studies show that the core of large subunits, L, remaining at 3-4 M urea sediments with S20, w = 15.0 S, whereas the intact enzyme (L8S8) sediments with S20, w = 17.7S. The observed value is consistent with a quarternary structure L8. The dissociation reaction in 3-4 M urea can thus be represented by L8S8----L8 + 8S. At urea concentrations c greater than 5 M the L8 core dissociates into monomeric, unfolded large subunits. A large decrease in fluorescence emission intensity accompanies the dissociation of the small subunit S. This change is completed at 4 M urea. No changes are observed upon dissociating the L8 core. The kinetics of dissociation of the small subunit, as monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy, closely follow the kinetics of loss of carboxylase activity of the enzyme. Studies of the circular dichroism of D-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase in the wavelength region 200-260 nm indicate two conformational transitions. The first one ([0]220 from -8000 to -3500 deg cm2 dmol-1) is completed at 4 M urea and corresponds to the dissociation of the small subunit and coupled conformational changes. The second one ([0]220 from -3500 to -1200 deg cm2 dmol-1) is completed at 6 M urea and reflects the dissociation and unfolding of large subunits from the core. The effect of activation of the enzyme by addition of MgCl2 (10 mM) and NaHCO3 (10 mM) on these conformational transitions was investigated. The first conformational transition is then shifted to higher urea concentrations: a single transition ([0]220 from -8000 to -1200 deg cm2 dmol-1) is observed for the activated enzyme. From the urea dissociation experiments we conclude that both large (L) and small (S) subunits are important for carboxylase activity of spinach D-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase: the L-S subunit interactions tighten upon activation and dissociation of S leads to a coupled, proportional loss of enzyme activity.     

Comparison of the crystal structures of L2 and L8S8 Rubisco suggests a functional role for the small subunit.

Comparison of the crystal structures of the L2 and L8S8 forms of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from Rhodospirillum rubrum and spinach respectively, reveals a remarkable similarity in the overall architecture of the L2 building blocks in the two enzymes. Within the L subunits, no large conformational differences such as domain-domain rotations were found. In spite of a somewhat different packing of the L subunits in the L2 dimer, the active sites of the two enzymes are highly conserved. Significant local conformational differences are, however, observed for the C-terminal part of the polypeptide chains as well as for loop 7, helix alpha 7, loop 8 and helix alpha 8 in the barrel domain. The small subunit forms extensive interactions with one of these alpha helices, alpha 8, in the spinach L8S8 enzyme. The loops are at the active site and one of them forms a phosphate binding site for the substrate. We suggest that the small subunit modulates substrate binding and, possibly, the carboxylation/oxygenation ratio by inducing conformational changes in the active site through interactions distant from this site.     

Purification and characterization of large and small subunits of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase expressed separately in Escherichia coli

Procedures were developed for 95 and 80% purification to homogeneity of the large subunit (L) and small subunit (S) of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (L8S8) from Synechococcus PCC 6301, each expressed separately in Escherichia coli. Purified L had a low specific activity in the absence of S (0.075 mumol CO2 fixed/mg holoenzyme/min). Following elution on a Pharmacia Superose 6 or 12 gel filtration column, 50% of the purified L appeared as the octamer, L8. The rest was in equilibrium with lower polymeric species and/or was retained on the column. Large and small subunits assembled rapidly into the L8S8 holoenzyme that had high specific activities, 6.2 and 3.1 mumol CO2 fixed/mg holoenzyme/min for the homologous Synechococcus L8S8 and the hybrid Synechococcus L-pea S L8S8, respectively. The CO2 dependence for carbamylation of L8 was compared to that of L8S8 as a function of pH and CO2 concentration. The pH dependence indicated an apparent pKa for L8 of 8.28 and for L8S8 of 8.15, suggesting that S may influence the pKa of the lysine involved in carbamylation. The Kact for CO2 at pH 8.4 were similar for L8 (13.5 microM) and L8S8 (15.5 microM). L8 bound 2-[14C]carboxy-D-arabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate (CABP) tightly so that most of the bound [14C]CABP survived gel filtration. A major amount of the L8-[14C]CABP complex appeared as larger polymeric aggregates when eluted in the presence of E. coli protein.     

The structure of a ribosomal protein S8/spc operon mRNA complex

In bacteria, translation of all the ribosomal protein cistrons in the spc operon mRNA is repressed by the binding of the product of one of them, S8, to an internal sequence at the 5' end of the L5 cistron. The way in which the first two genes of the spc operon are regulated, retroregulation, is mechanistically distinct from translational repression by S8 of the genes from L5 onward. A 2.8 A resolution crystal structure has been obtained of Escherichia coli S8 bound to this site. Despite sequence differences, the structure of this complex is almost identical to that of the S8/helix 21 complex seen in the small ribosomal subunit, consistent with the hypothesis that autogenous regulation of ribosomal protein synthesis results from conformational similarities between mRNAs and rRNAs. S8 binding must repress the translation of its own mRNA by inhibiting the formation of a ribosomal initiation complex at the start of the L5 cistron.     

Cryo-electron crystallography of two sub-complexes of bovine complex I reveals the relationship between the membrane and peripheral arms

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is the first and largest enzyme of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The low-resolution structure of the complex is known from electron microscopy studies. The general shape of the complex is in the form of an L, with one arm in the membrane and the other peripheral. We have purified complex I from beef heart mitochondria and reconstituted the enzyme into lipid bilayers. Under different conditions, several two-dimensional crystal forms were obtained. Crystals belonging to space groups p222(1) and c12 (unit cell 488 Ax79 A) were obtained at 22 degrees C and contained only the membrane fragment of complex I similar to hydrophobic subcomplex Ibeta but lacking the ND5 subunit. A crystal form with larger unit cell (534 Ax81 A, space group c12) produced at 4 degrees C contained both the peripheral and membrane arms of the enzyme, except that ND5 was missing. Projection maps from frozen hydrated samples were calculated for all crystal forms. By comparing two different c12 crystal forms, extra electron density in the projection map of large crystal form was assigned to the peripheral arm of the enzyme. One of the features of the map is a deep, channel-like, cleft next to peripheral arm. Comparison with available structures of the intact enzyme indicates that large hydrophobic subunit ND5 is situated at the distal end of the membrane domain. Possible locations of subunit ND4 and of other subunits in the membrane domain are proposed. Implications of our findings for the mechanism of proton pumping by complex I are discussed.     

The purification and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of recombinant Synechococcus ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from Escherichia coli

X-ray crystallographic diffraction data has been collected for recombinant hexadecameric ribulose-P2 carboxylase from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC6301 expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme has been purified and then crystallized in a number of crystal forms from polyethylene glycol solutions. The best crystals were obtained with enzyme that was first activated with the cofactors CO2 and Mg2+ in the presence of the tight-binding intermediate analogue, 2'-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate. One crystal form with plate-like morphology diffracts beyond 2.5 A but has one axis greater than 350 A. A second crystal form that diffracts to similar resolution grows with space group P212121 and unit cell dimensions of a = 223.9 A, b = 111.9 A, and c = 199.7 A. The crystal forms used to collect the diffraction data have been redissolved to determine that the recombinant ribulose-P2 carboxylase L8S8 molecule is indeed composed of equal numbers of large and small subunits and also that a quaternary complex between activated ribulose-P2 carboxylase E.CO2.Mg2+, and the analogue was present in the crystals. Denaturation of the redissolved enzyme in the absence of thiol-reducing agents established that the L-subunits of the L8 core are substantially dimeric, cross-linked by a disulfide bridge. Crystals of spinach ribulose-P2 carboxylase were likewise analyzed to show that dimers of the L-subunit were also predominant. This report identifies a single cysteine residue in the L-subunit that forms a bridge between those L-monomers that compose the four putative functional dimers of the L8 core.     

Detailed analysis of RNA-protein interactions within the bacterial ribosomal protein L5/5S rRNA complex

The crystal structure of ribosomal protein L5 from Thermus thermophilus complexed with a 34-nt fragment comprising helix III and loop C of Escherichia coli 5S rRNA has been determined at 2.5 A resolution. The protein specifically interacts with the bulged nucleotides at the top of loop C of 5S rRNA. The rRNA and protein contact surfaces are strongly stabilized by intramolecular interactions. Charged and polar atoms forming the network of conserved intermolecular hydrogen bonds are located in two narrow planar parallel layers belonging to the protein and rRNA, respectively. The regions, including these atoms conserved in Bacteria and Archaea, can be considered an RNA-protein recognition module. Comparison of the T. thermophilus L5 structure in the RNA-bound form with the isolated Bacillus stearothermophilus L5 structure shows that the RNA-recognition module on the protein surface does not undergo significant changes upon RNA binding. In the crystal of the complex, the protein interacts with another RNA molecule in the asymmetric unit through the beta-sheet concave surface. This protein/RNA interface simulates the interaction of L5 with 23S rRNA observed in the Haloarcula marismortui 50S ribosomal subunit.     

Distinct domain functions regulating de novo DNA synthesis of thermostable DNA primase from hyperthermophile Pyrococcus horikoshii

DNA primases are essential components of the DNA replication apparatus in every organism. Reported here are the biochemical characteristics of a thermostable DNA primase from the thermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii, which formed the oligomeric unit L(1)S(1) and synthesized long DNA primers 10 times more effectively than RNA primers. The N-terminal (25KL) and C-terminal halves (20KL) of the large subunit (L) play distinct roles in regulating de novo DNA synthesis of the small catalytic subunit (S). The 25KL domain has a dual function. One function is to depress the large affinity of the intrasubunit domain 20KL for the template DNA until complex (L(1)S(1) unit) formation. The other function is to tether the L subunit tightly to the S subunit, probably to promote effective interaction between the intrasubunit domain 20KL and the active center of the S subunit. The 20KL domain is a central factor to enhance the de novo DNA synthesis activity of the catalytic S subunit since the total affinity of the L(1)S(1) unit is mainly derived from the affinity of 20KL, which is elevated more than 10 times by the heterodimer formation, presumably due to the cancellation of the inhibitory activity of 25KL through tight binding to the S subunit.     

Characterisation of the ribosomal binding site for eukaryotic elongation factor 2 by chemical cross-linking

Ribosomal complexes containing elongation factor 2 (EF-2) were formed by incubation of 80 S ribosomes in the presence of EF-2 and the non-hydrolysable GTP analogue GuoPP[CH2]P. The factor was covalently coupled to the ribosomal proteins located at the factor binding site, by treatment with bifunctional reagents. After isolation of the covalent EF-2.ribosomal protein complexes, the proteins were labelled with 125I and the introduced covalent links cleaved. The ribosomal proteins were identified by electrophoresis in two independent two-dimensional gel systems, followed by autoradiography. After cross-linking with bis(hydroxysuccinimidyl) tartrate (4 A between the reactive groups), protein S3/S3a, S7 and S11 were found as the major ribosomal proteins covalently linked to EF-2. The longer reagent, dimethyl 3,8-diaza-4,7-dioxo-5,6-dihydroxydecanbisimidate (11 A between the reactive groups), covalently coupled proteins S7, S11, L5, L13, L21, L23, L26, L27a and L32 to EF-2. After cross-linking with dimethyl suberimidate (9 A between the reactive groups) proteins S3/3a, S7, S11, L5, L8, L13, L21, L23, L26, L27a, L31 and L32 were identified as belonging to the EF-2-binding site. The results indicate that the ribosomal domain interacting with EF-2 is located on both the small and the large ribosomal subunit close to the subunit interface.     

Structure of the L1 protuberance in the ribosome

The L1 protuberance of the 50S ribosomal subunit is implicated in the release/disposal of deacylated tRNA from the E site. The apparent mobility of this ribosomal region has thus far prevented an accurate determination of its three-dimensional structure within either the 50S subunit or the 70S ribosome. Here we report the crystal structure at 2.65 A resolution of ribosomal protein L1 from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius in complex with a specific 55-nucleotide fragment of 23S rRNA from Thermus thermophilus. This structure fills a major gap in current models of the 50S ribosomal subunit. The conformations of L1 and of the rRNA fragment differ dramatically from those within the crystallographic model of the T. thermophilus 70S ribosome. Incorporation of the L1-rRNA complex into the structural models of the T. thermophilus 70S ribosome and the Deinococcus radiodurans 50S subunit gives a reliable representation of most of the L1 protuberance within the ribosome.     

Sulfhydryl groups on yeast ribosomal proteins L7 and L26 are significantly more reactive in the 80 S particles than in the 60 S subunits.

The sulfhydryl-directed fluorescent reagent, 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein (IAF), reacts differently with proteins from the 60 S ribosomal subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae when this subunit is free as opposed to being contained within the 80 S ribosome. When the 80 S ribosomes and the free 60 S subunits were labeled with IAF, the specific fluorescence intensity (fluorescence intensity unit/A260 60 S subunit) of the subsequently derived 60 S was 16.3 and 5.4, respectively. Gel analysis showed that proteins L7 and L26 were selectively labeled and contained greater than 90% of the total fluorescent label, when 80 S ribosomes were labeled. When free 60 S subunits were labeled, six additional proteins were labeled. Both types of modified 60 S subunits were equally capable to support protein synthesis in vitro. Reassociation of the IAF-labeled derived and free 60 S subunits with unmodified 40 S subunits resulted in a maximum of 5-7% decrease and a 3-fold increase, respectively, in the fluorescence intensity without a shift in the emission maxima. The data suggest that ribosomal proteins L7 and L26 contain SH groups that respond to ribosomal subunit association and become more reactive in the intact ribosome than in the subunit. The environments of some or all of the additionally labeled proteins are also sensitive to subunit reassociation.     

Crystal structure of rat liver betaine homocysteine s-methyltransferase reveals new oligomerization features and conformational changes upon substrate binding

Betaine homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT) is one of the two enzymes known to methylate homocysteine to generate methionine in the liver. It presents a Zn(2+) atom linked to three essential Cys residues. The crystal structure of rat liver BHMT has been solved at 2.5A resolution, using crystals with P2(1) symmetry and 45% solvent content in the cell. The asymmetric unit contains the whole functional tetramer showing point symmetry 222. The overall fold of the subunit consists mostly of a (alpha/beta)(8) barrel, as for human BHMT. From the end of the barrel, the polypeptide chain extends away and makes many interactions with a different subunit, forming tight dimers. The most remarkable structural feature of rat liver BHMT is the presence of a helix including residues 381-407, at the C terminus of the chain, which bind together the dimers AB to CD. A strong ion-pair and more than 60 hydrophobic interactions keep this helix stacked to the segment 316-349 from the opposite subunit. Moreover, the crystal structure of free rat liver BHMT clearly shows that Tyr160 is the fourth ligand coordinated to Zn, which is replaced by Hcy upon binding. Two residues essential for substrate recognition, Phe76 and Tyr77, are provided by a conformational change in a partially disordered loop (L2). The crucial role of these residues is highlighted by site-directed mutagenesis.     

First crystal structure of Rubisco from a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The crystal structure of Rubisco (ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) from the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has been determined to 1.4 A resolution. Overall, the structure shows high similarity to the previously determined structures of L8S8 Rubisco enzymes. The largest difference is found in the loop between beta strands A and B of the small subunit (betaA-betaB loop), which is longer by six amino acid residues than the corresponding region in Rubisco from Spinacia. Mutations of residues in the betaA-betaB loop have been shown to affect holoenzyme stability and catalytic properties. The information contained in the Chlamydomonas structure enables a more reliable analysis of the effect of these mutations. No electron density was observed for the last 13 residues of the small subunit, which are assumed to be disordered in the crystal. Because of the high resolution of the data, some posttranslational modifications are unambiguously apparent in the structure. These include cysteine and N-terminal methylations and proline 4-hydroxylations.     

Identification by RNA-protein cross-linking of ribosomal proteins located at the interface between the small and the large subunits of mammalian ribosomes

Protein constituents at the subunit interface of rat liver ribosomes were analysed by cross-linking with the bifunctional reagent, diepoxybutane (distance between reactive groups 4 A). Isolated 40S and 60S subunits were labelled with 125I and recombined with unlabelled complementary subunits. The two kinds of selectively labelled 80S ribosomes were treated with diepoxybutane at low concentration. Radioactive ribosomal proteins covalently attached to the rRNA of the unlabelled complementary subparticles were isolated by repeated gradient centrifugation. The RNA-bound, labelled proteins were identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The experiments showed that proteins S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S13, and S14 in the small subunit of rat liver ribosomes are located at the ribosomal interface in close proximity to 28S rRNA. Similarly, proteins L3, L6, L7, and L8 were found at the the interface of the large ribosomal subunit in the close vicinity of 18S rRNA.     

Isolation and characterization of temperature-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli with altered ribosomal proteins

Summary The ribosomal proteins of temperature-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli isolated independently after mutagenesis with nitrosoguanidine were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Out of 400 mutants analyzed, 60 mutants (15%) showed alterations in a total of 22 different ribosomal proteins. The proteins altered in these mutants are S2, S4, S6, S7, S8, S10, S15, S16, S18, L1, L3, L6, L10, L11, L14, L15, L17, L18, L19, L22, L23 and L24. A large number of them (25 mutants) have mutations in protein S4 of the small subunit, while four mutants showed alterations in protein L6 of the large subunit. The importance of these mutants for structural and functional analyses of ribosomes is discussed.     

Modulation of the tight binding of carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate to the large subunit of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

The large subunit (L) of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco) from Synechococcus PCC 6301 was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified as the octamer L8, and analyzed for its ability to tightly bind the transition state analog, 2-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate (CABP). [14C]CABP remained tightly bound to L8 after challenging with [12C]CABP and gel filtration, indicating that L8 alone without the small subunit (S) could tightly bind CABP. Binding of CABP to L8 induced a shift in the gel filtration profile due to apparent aggregation of L8. Aggregation did not occur with the L8S8-CABP complex nor with L8-CABP in the presence of 150 mM MgCl2. If ionic strength was increased with either KCl or MgCl2 during or after the binding of [14C]CABP to L8, [14C]CABP in the complex exchanged with [12C]CABP and was lost from the protein. Ionic strength strongly affected the rate constant (k4) for [14C]CABP dissociation from the L8-[14C]CABP complex, but had little effect on k4 for the L8S8-CABP complex. The differences in CABP binding characteristics between the L8-CABP and L8S8-CABP complexes demonstrate that S is intimately involved in maintaining the stability of the tight binding of CABP to the active site. These are the same interactions stabilizing the intermediate, 3-keto-2-carboxyarabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate, to native rubisco during CO2 fixation.     

Crystallization and crystal packing of Proteus mirabilis PR catalase

The tetrameric catalase from Proteus mirabilis PR (EC 1.11.1.6), known to bind NADPH, has been crystallized by the hanging-drop method in a form apparently depleted in dinucleotide. The crystals belong to the hexagonal space group P6(2)22 with a = b = 111.7 A, c = 248.8 A. There is one subunit in the asymmetric unit. Data were collected to 2.9 A at the L.U.R.E. (Orsay) synchrotron radiation facility. The tetramers have been located in the crystal, centered on the site (1/2, 0, 0) with 222 symmetry.     

Identification of discrete disulfide-linked oligomers which distinguish 18 S from 14 S acetylcholinesterase

Acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) purified by affinity chromatography from 1.0 m ionic strength extracts of electric organ from the eel Electrophorus electricus consists of a mixture of 18 and 14 S enzyme forms. When examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate without exposure to disulfide reducing agents, these purified preparations show two major high molecular weight bands (>300,000), labeled oligomers A and B, in addition to a major band corresponding to catalytic subunit dimers (150,000 M_r). All these major bands reflect intersubunit disulfide bonding. The 18 and 14 S forms in purified preparations were separated by extensive sucrose gradient centrifugation. Gel analyses of the isolated 18 and 14 S pools indicated that the larger oligomer A derives from the 18 S pool, while oligomer B is found primarily in the 14 S pool. These observations support a previous model for 18 S acetylcholinesterase (T. L. Rosenberry and J. M. Richardson (1977) Biochemistry, in press) which considers this molecule to consist of one oligomer A unit, composed of three pairs of catalytic subunits disulfide-bonded to a collagen-like tail structure, and three catalytic subunit dimers. Proteolytic cleavage of the tail structure in the 18 S form can occur to release an 11 S enzyme tetramer containing a residual tail fragment and to leave a 14 S form. We propose this 14 S form to consist of one oligomer B unit, composed of two pairs of catalytic subunits disulfide-bonded to the remaining tail structure, and two catalytic subunit dimers.