SDS/PAGE characteristics of protein kinases tightly associated with chick embryo brain ribosomes.

Protein kinases tightly associated with chick embryo brain ribosomes washed with Triton X-100 and KCl were characterized by their ability to phosphorylate ribosomes and two exogenous substrates, histone IIA and casein. c-AMP-dependent kinase (PKA) and casein kinases (CK1, CK2) were examined in the presence of specific modulators by SDS/PAGE followed by renaturation in gel assay according to Kameshita & Fujisawa (Anal. Biochem. 1989, 183, 139-143). Basing on these data it can be presumed that PKA activity increases, but the levels of CK2 and CK1 decrease during chick embryo development.

Radioactive labelling of ribosomal proteins with reductive alkylation and its use in studying ribosome-cytosol interactions

Mouse brain ribosomes were radioactively labelled by a cell-free reductive alkylation reaction with NaBH4 and [14C]formaldehyde. The radioactivity was largely associated with ribosomal proteins, but little, if any, of the rRNA was radioactive after the alkylation procedure. Both ribosomal structural proteins and loosely associated components were successfully labelled by this procedure. The sedimentation properties of the ribosomes were unaltered and their ability to carry out poly(U)-directed protein synthesis, although decreased, was largely retained. Incubation of 14C-labelled ribosomes with brain cytosol resulted in a 17% loss of radioactivity, although treatment of the ribosomes with 1.0M-KCl to remove the loosely associated factors rendered the ribonucleoprotein particles resistant to cytosol effects. The ribosome-cytosol interactions did not appear to be related to an exchange process, since the released radioactivity was largely degraded to acid-soluble material. In addition, the incubation of native ribosomes with brain cytosol resulted in an almost complete loss in the ability of the ribosomes to participate in cell-free protein synthesis.

The role of ribosomal ribonucleic acid in the structure and function of mammalian brain ribosomes

In order to resolve the functional role of intact rRNA in polypeptide chain elongation mouse brain ribosomes were treated with dilute pancreatic or T1 RNAase (ribonuclease). After RNAase treatment, several physical–chemical properties as well as the functional activity of the ribosomes were measured. RNAase treatment resulted in the extensive hydrolysis of both 18S and 28S rRNA; however, the sedimentation properties of mono-ribosomes were unaltered and more than 90% of the relatively low-molecular-weight RNA fragments remained associated with ribosome particles. Analysis of the ability of RNAase-treated ribosomes to participate in cell-free protein synthesis showed that ribosomes with less than 2% intact rRNA retained more than 85% of their activity in polyphenylalanine incorporation. Proof that the incorporation of phenylalanine by ribosomes with hydrolysed rRNA actually represented active translocation was obtained by the effective inhibition of incorporation by diphtheria toxin. In addition, the oligopeptide products of protein synthesis could be identified by BD (benzoylated diethylaminoethyl)-cellulose column chromatography. Analysis of the size distribution of oligopeptides synthesized by normal and RNAase-treated ribosomes showed no significant differences which indicated that there was no change in the proportion of ribosomes engaged in protein synthesis. Thus strong RNA–protein and protein–protein interactions must serve to maintain the functional integrity of ribosomes even when the rRNA is extensively degraded. The ability of the enzyme-treated ribosomes to efficiently incorporate amino acids clearly demonstrated that ‘intact’ rRNA is not required for protein-synthetic activity.