Ribosomal RNA in chloroplasts of Euglena gracilis

Abstract

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that chloroplasts of Euglena gracilis contain 23.5 and 16.5S species of ribosomal RNA in a molar ratio of about 1:1. Thus is this regard chloroplast ribosomal RNA is like that found in ribosomes of bacteria. Chloroplast ribosomal RNA, especially the 23S RNA, is easily degraded during isolation, 14S RNA predominating among the degradation products. In contrast, RNA species of 20S, 23S and 25S were found as major components of cytoplasmic ribosomes of Euglena gracilis.