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Studies on the secondary structure of ribosomal ribonucleic acid components of rabbit reticulocytes
Author(s) -
Gould Hannah J.,
Simpkins Henry
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.1969.360070209
Subject(s) - chemistry , titration , base pair , rna , helix (gastropod) , ribosomal rna , optical rotatory dispersion , base (topology) , dna , limiting , crystallography , stereochemistry , biophysics , biochemistry , circular dichroism , biology , organic chemistry , mechanical engineering , ecology , mathematical analysis , mathematics , snail , engineering , gene
The conformation in solution of fractionated 30 S and 19 S ribosomal RNA from rabbit reticulocytes has been studied by optical rotatory dispersion, analysis of thermal melting profiles and their derivatives, and spectrophotometric acid‐base titration. From a consideration of the limitations of these methods, it has been possible to set limiting values on the degree of base‐pairing and the lengths of the double helices: between 60 and 80% of the bases in 19 S and 30 S RNA are estimated to be paired. The paired segments are not shorter than 4 base pairs, and evidence from other sources is available which indicates that they are not longer than 8–16 base pairs. The spread of helix lengths is greater in the 30 S than in 19 S RNA; and other differences are noted. Several distinct populations of double helices, differing in their thermal stability, are present. Estimates are presented from spectrophotometric and titration data for the base compositions of the paired and unpaired regions.