Ribosome and messenger specificity in protein synthesis by bacteria

Abstract

Ribosomes from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens, two Gram-negative bacteria, translated messenger RNA preparations from all bacteria tested (3 Gram-negative species, and 6 Gram-positive species) as well as f2 RNA and T4 early messenger RNA. Ribosomes from Clostridium pasteurianum, Streptococcus faecalis, and Bacillus subtilis, three Gram-positive organisms, did not translate messenger RNA preparations derived from any of the Gram-negative organisms, the f2 RNA, or the T4 early messenger RNA but did translate messenger preparations from all 6 Gram-positive bacterial species tested.