Modification of 40S ribosomal subunits from yeast with dimethylmaleic anhydride.

Modification of 40S ribosomal subunits from Saccharomyces cerevisiae with dimethylmaleic anhydride (DMMA), a reagent for protein amino groups, is accompanied by loss of polypeptide-synthesizing activity and by dissociation of proteins from the particles. The protein-deficient ribosomal particles, originated from 40S subunits by treatment with dimethylmaleic anhydride at a molar ratio of reagent to particle of 250, can partially reconstitute active subunits upon addition of the corresponding released proteins, and regeneration of the modified amino groups.