Two nucleotides of the 23 S rRNA gene were mutated; the nucleotides correspond to the first two positions of the universally conserved sequence ⌿GG2582 at the peptidyltransferase ring of 23 S rRNA. The ribosomes containing the altered 23 S rRNA were analyzed. Previously, it was shown that ribosomal assembly was indistinguishable from that in wild-type cells, that the flow of the corresponding 50 S subunit into the polysome fraction was not restricted, but that the ribosomes were strongly impaired in poly(Phe) synthesis (C. M. T. Spahn, J. Remme, M. A. Schä fer, and K. H. Nierhaus (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 32849 -32856). Here we apply assay systems exclusively testing the puromycin reaction of ribosomes carrying plasmid-born rRNA, a dipeptide assay using the minimal P site donor pA(fMet) and a translocation system not depending on the puromycin reaction. The mutations in helix 90 exclusively abolish or severely impair the ribosome capability to catalyze AcPhe-puromycin formation. A possible explanation of these observations is that G2581 and ⌿2580 (and possibly also G2582) are part of the binding site of C75 of peptidyl-tRNA in the P site. The results suggest that in this case, however, such an interaction would disobey canonical base pairing.Two out of the 55 UGG sequences in 23 S rRNA from Escherichia coli are universally conserved in the non-mitochondrial rRNAs of the large ribosomal subunit, UGG2251 and ⌿GG2582. The first two positions of both sequences were mutated, and the effects on ribosomal assembly and functions were analyzed (1). Mutants of the first sequence did not influence ribosomal assembly and bacterial growth but caused some defects in in vitro poly(U) translation. Those of the second sequence are characterized by a seemingly normal assembly but with severe defects in peptide synthesis (1). The ⌿GG2582 sequence is located at the "peptidyltransferase ring" (see Fig. 1). Here we analyze the peptidyltransferase (PTF) 1 activity in various systems and the translocation reaction. All mutant ribosomes were able to translocate. The helix 80 mutants show a normal puromycin reaction. In contrast, the helix 90 mutations severely interfere with the PTF activity.
MATERIALS AND METHODSPlasmids and strains, the preparation of ribosomes and polysomes, and the quantification of plasmid-born 23 S rRNA have been described in the preceding paper (1).Puromycin Kinetics with AcPhe-tRNA Bound to the P-sites of Poly(U)-programmed 70 S-tRNA binding and puromycin reaction was essentially as described (2) except that the buffer conditions (20 mM Hepes-KOH (pH 7.6), 6 mM MgCl 2 , 150 mM NH 4 Cl, 4 mM -mercaptoethanol, 2 mM spermidine, and 0.05 mM spermine) were kept constant in all steps (3). 70 S ribosomes were programmed with Ac[14 C]Phe-tRNA Phe (1,030 dpm/pmol, 1.5-fold excess over 70 S) and poly(U). After an incubation at 37°C for 30 min, two aliquots were filtered over nitrocellulose to determine the binding. To the remaining aliquots, puromycin was added, and the kinetics of AcPhe-puromycin formation were follow...