Biochemical research on oogenesis: protein synthesis by purified 42S particles from Xenopus laevis and Tinca tinca previtellogenic oocytes

When incubated with ATP and a labeled amino acid, the 42S particles from early oocytes of Xenopus laevis and Tinca tinca incorporate radioactivity into tRNA and into a high molecular mass material which can be identified as protein. This incorporation is totally independent of ribosomes of cytosolic, mitochondrial or bacterial origin. The incorporated amino acids are linked to a broad spectrum of proteins by covalent bonds. Simple treatments such as incubation in buffer or addition of synthetic polyribonucleotides can inhibit the protein-labeling activity of the particles without affecting their tRNA aminoacylation activity. The former activity corresponds either to an amino acid polymerization reaction or to a protein-modifying reaction of a novel type. No involvement of mRNA in this process has been demonstrated. The alleged amino acid polymerization activity of the 42S particles could be a consequence of the conditions provided to aminoacyl tRNA by the tRNA-binding sites of the particles. These conditions are likely to allow the peptidyl transfer reaction to take place, although at a much lower rate than in the ribosome.