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Ribosome Formation from Subunits: Dependence on Formylmethionyl-transfer RNA in Extracts from E. coli

Nature volume 220, pages 368–371 (1968)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 18 January 1969

Abstract

RIBOSOMES from bacterial, plant and animal cells consist of two subunits: a larger one (in E. coli the 50S subunit) and a smaller one (in E. coli the 30S subunit)1. Apparently a 30S and a 50S subunit associate to form a 70S ribosome in E. coli when the synthesis of a protein molecule is initiated; the ribosome persists during the synthesis and dissociates into subunits when the synthesis is completed2–7. There is suggestive evidence for the occurrence of the following events during the process of peptide chain initiation. First, a 30S subunit forms a complex with messenger RNA and formylmethionyl-tRNA (F-Met-tRNA) in the presence of GTP and initiation factors; subsequently, a 50S subunit is attached to this complex5–13.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Molecular Biophysics and Microbiology, Yale University,

    MASATOSHI KONDO, GUDMUNDUR EGGERSTON, JEROME EISENSTADT & PETER LENGYEL

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  1. MASATOSHI KONDO
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  2. GUDMUNDUR EGGERSTON
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  4. PETER LENGYEL
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An erratum to this article is available at https://doi.org/10.1038/221294e0

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KONDO, M., EGGERSTON, G., EISENSTADT, J. et al. Ribosome Formation from Subunits: Dependence on Formylmethionyl-transfer RNA in Extracts from E. coli. Nature 220, 368–371 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/220368a0

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