Sedimentation characteristics of bacterial ribonucleoprotein obtained at different periods during the cell-division cycle

Abstract

A large proportion of the ribonucleic acid of bacteria occurs in the form of ribonudeoprotein particles. In growing Escherichia coli, these particles (ribosomes) are distributed among a number of different classes having sedimentation coefficients of approximately 20 S, 30 S, 50 S, 70 S and 100 S. The sedimentation coefficient of the largest particle varies between 70 S and 100 S depending on the magnesium concentration. At low concentration (10^(-4) M) the 70-S and 100-S particles, dissociate into 30-S and 50-S particles.

Additional details