Construction and functional analysis of ribosomal 5S RNA from Escherichia coli with single base changes in the ribosomal protein binding sites.

The ribosomal 5S RNA gene from E. coli was altered by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis at positions A66 and U103. The mutant genes were cloned into an expression vector and selectively transcribed in an UV-sensitive E. coli strain using a modified maxicell system. The mutant 5S RNA genes were found to be transcribed and processed normally. The 5S RNA molecules were assembled into 50S ribosomal subunits. Under in vitro conditions the stability of the mutant 70S ribosomes seemed, however, to be reduced, since they dissociated into their subunits more easily than those of the wild type. The isolated mutated 5S RNAs with base changes in the ribosomal protein binding sites for L18 and L25, together with a point mutant at G41 (G to C), constructed earlier, were tested for their capacity to bind the 5S RNA binding proteins L5, L18 and L25. The following effects were observed: The base change A66 to C within the L18 binding site did not affect the binding of the ribosomal protein L18 but enhanced the stability of the L25-5S RNA complex considerably. The base changes U103 to G and G41 to C slightly reduced the binding of L5 and L25 whereas the binding of L18 to the mutant 5S RNAs was not altered. In addition 70S ribosomes with the single point mutations in their 5S RNAs were tested in their tRNA binding capacity. Mutants containing a C41 in their 5S RNA showed a reduction in the poly(U)-dependent Phe-tRNA binding, whereas the mutations to C66 and G 103 lead to completely inactive ribosomes in the same assay. Based on previous results a spatial model of the 5S RNA molecule is presented which is consistent with the findings reported in this paper.