Ribosomal proteins in growing and starved Tetrahymena pyriformis. Starvation-induced phosphorylation of ribosomal proteins

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The complements of ribosomal proteins in growing and starved cells of Tetrahymena pyriformis strain GL were examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In growing cells, the 40-S ribosomal subunit contained 30 proteins, 4 of which migrated toward the anode at pH 8.6, while the 60-S ribosomal subunit contained 46 proteins, 9 of which migrated toward the anode at pH 8.6. When exponentially growing cells were transferred into a non-nutrient medium pronounced phosphorylation of a single 40-S ribosomal subunit protein, S6, was induced. The phosphorylation was very specific; more than 99.5% of the [32P]phosphate incorporated into ribosomal proteins was associated with S6. Phosphate was incorporated into S6 as O-phosphoserine and O-phosphothreonine. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated that the complement of proteins associated with the ribosomes isolated from starved cells differed from that of growing cells. Careful examination, however, suggested that except for the phosphorylation of certain ribosomal proteins in starved cells, the observed differences did not reflect starvation-induced changes in vivo, but most probably different levels of artifactual modifications (limited proteolysis) during the preparation of the ribosomes.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBBA General Subjects
Volume521
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)435-51
Number of pages16
ISSN0304-4165
Publication statusPublished - 1978
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Keywords: Animals; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Organophosphorus Compounds; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Ribosomal Proteins; Ribosomes; Serine; Tetrahymena pyriformis; Threonine

ID: 11368580