On the binding of concanavalin a to bacterial and mammalian ribösome

Abstract

1. 1. The interaction of concanavalin A with bacterial and mammalian ribosomes was analyzed comparatively. 2. 2. The lectin was radioactively labelled by iodination then incubated, on the one hand, with total Escherichia coli ribosomes and, on the other hand, with total ribosomes or membrane-free polysemes or separated ribosomal subunits prepared from rat hepatocytes. 3. 3. It was found that bacterial ribosomes do not possess any specific binding site accessible to concanavalin A whereas hepatic ribosomes interact with the lectin in a molar ratio of approximately 1:1.