Abstract
1. The protein and RNA composition of free ribosomes and of membrane-bound ribosomes liberated by deoxycholate treatment have been compared by starch-gel electrophoresis. 2. These two ribosomal fractions prepared from pigeon pancreas gave essentially similar protein patterns, but certain additional components could be seen in the electrophoretograms of particles bound to the membranes as compared with the protein components of ribosomes present in the free state. 3. At pH 6, ribosomal RNA was resolved into seven to eight electrophoretic bands, two of which are supposed to represent smaller molecular degradation products of RNA. The slowest moving RNA band present in the electrophoretograms of membrane-bound ribosomes was lacking from the patterns of free ribosomes. 4. The physico-chemical structure of free ribosomes was found to be less stable than that of the ribosomes liberated from the lipoprotein membranes. Autodegradation of RNA and liberation of proteins from the particles occurred faster in the free ribosomal fraction than in the membrane-bound ribosomal fraction. 5. The significance of these structural differences in relation to the state and function of particles within the living cell is discussed.
Published Version
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