The binding of Mg2+, spermine, and spermidine to wheat germ ribosomes was quantitated following equilibrium dialysis. The Mg2+ binding data demonstrate that Mg2+ and K+ compete for binding to the ribosomes. Mg2+ binding saturates at approximately 0.56 positive charges per phosphate (+/P). The Mg2+, spermine and spermidine binding data indicate that either polyamine replaces Mg2+ upon binding to the ribosomes. Mg2+ and polyamine binding combined saturates at approximately 0.29 +/P under the conditions reported. When a critical number of Mg2+ ions are replaced by either polyamine, the activity of the ribosomes falls dramatically. Ribosomal subunit association increases with the degree of phosphate charge neutralization due to the binding of Mg2+. Total charge neutralization during subunit association by Mg2+ and polyamine binding combined, is much less than that achieved by Mg2+ alone.

The influence of magnesium ion concentration upon the equilibrium between the wheat germ ribosome and its subunits has been studied by light scattering. The curves obtained for ribosome dissociation and subunit reassociation were identical and were independent of the origin and direction of the magnesium ion titration, suggesting that the wheat germ ribosomes are behaving as a homogeneous population equivalent to Escherichia coli type A ribosomes. Increasing K+ concentrations in the presence of Mg2+ favored ribosome dissociation. Polyamines favored subunit reassociation, with 0.1 mM spermine acting as effectively as 1 mM spermidine. Thermodynamic parameters have been determined from the temperature-dependent equilibria and have been compared to those of E. coli type A ribosomes. The association of the 40S and 60S subunits is exothermic. At 1.5 mM Mg2+ and 100 mM K+, the entropy term is negative, favoring ribosome dissociation, and contributes less to the free energy than the enthalpy term. The determination of these thermodynamic parameters was based on molecular weights of 1.2 x 10(6) and 2.3 x 10(6) for the 40S and 60S subunits, respectively, calculated from laser light scattering data.

The influence of alkaline earth metal ions, alkali metal ions, ammonium ions, and polyamines upon the equilibria between high-salt-washed wheat germ ribosomes and their subunits was investigated by light scattering. The Mgz+-dependent, reversible association of ribosomal subunits was studied with buffers containing 100 mM concentrations of the chloride salts of various monovalent cations. These studies indicate that K+ and Na+ are most effective in dissociating the ribosomes into subunits, followed by Rb+ and then NH4+. The dissociation curves determined with buffers containing K+, Na', Rb', and NH4+ ions exhibit [Mg"] 1/2 values of 1.4, 1.4, 1.2, and 0.7 mM, respectively. The divalent cations, in general, strongly promote subunit association but differ in their abilities to do so. Ca2+ associates the ribosomal subunits more effectively than Sr2+, which is more effective than Mgz+. In the presence of 100 mM KCl and 0.15 mM MgClz, Ca2+-, Sr2+-, and Mgz+-dependent association curvesx e subunits of both eucaryotic and procaryotic ribosomes are capable of reversible association and dissociation. The types and concentrations of various cations present play a major role in determining the position of the equilibrium between the intact ribosome and its subunits. Kinetic, thermodynamic, and ion-specificity studies have been performed with Escherichia coli ribosomes in an effort to explain the roles of MgZ+, K+, and polyamines in the association of the subunits. Conflicting mechanisms have been proposed as a result of these studies. One model suggests that Mgz+ binds to specific sites on the subunits and thereby promotes subunit association (Petermann, 1964;Goldberg, 1966). This model is supported by the data of Zitomer & Flab (1972), who found that MgZ+, Ca2+, and polyamines promote ribosomal subunit association while K+ promotes subunit dissociation. Ca2+, however, was less effective than Mg2+ in promoting subunit association, suggesting that the ions were acting at specific sites. In contrast, the electrostatic model suggests that Mg2+ neutralizes the charged groups on the ribosomal subunits. This reduction in the electrostatic repulsion between the subunits would allow association. The studies of Walters & Van Os (1970, 1971) on yeast ribosomes and Wishnia & Boussert (1977) on E . coli ribosomes support the electrostatic model. Calculations by these groups also showed that the reduction of the electrostatic repulsion by Mg2+ theoretically is sufficient to promote subunit association. Nieuwenhuysen et al. (1980), using Artemia salina ribosomes, have shown that the molar volume changes produced by ribosomal subunit association are similar to those observed with E. coli type A ribosomes. Furthermore, they have suggested that this large volume change is consistent with two From the exhibit [M2+lIl2 values of 0.9, 1.1, and 1.4 mM, respectively. The abilities of the polyamines to associate ribosomal subunits in buffers containing 100 mM KCl and 0.20 mM MgClz were investigated. Both spermine ( [~p m ]~/~ = 0.09 mM) and sp...

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