Effect of essential amino acids on the phosphorylation of a 40S ribosomal protein and protein synthesis in Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Reversible and multiple phosphorylation of a 40S ribosomal protein is observed in a variety of eukaryotic cells. In the primitive eukaryote Acanthamoeba, one or three phosphorylated S3 derivatives are observed during growth phase in nondefined nutrient medium (ND cells) or in chemically defined nutrient medium (D cells), respectively. In both cases, stationary phase cells exhibit nonphosphorylated S3; however, transfer of these cells into the respective fresh nutrient media results in a transient accumulation of four phosphorylated S3 derivatives. Transfer of D cells into nutrient medium, deficient in all or any single essential amino acids, leads to reversible inhibition of S3 phosphorylation and growth arrest. The low level of phosphorylated S3 is not simply the consequence of growth arrest, since in cells where growth is arrested differently, the level of phosphorylated S3 can be high. In response to amino acid deficiency, a number of other changes can be observed. These include a 2-3-fold decrease of total protein synthesis, 13 changes in the cellular protein pattern, and specific alterations in the ribosome absorbance profiles and in the distribution of poly-A+ RNA within subribosomal and ribosomal fractions. While the rate of total protein synthesis seems to be associated with the level of phosphorylated S3, the level of the synthesis of at least 10 of the particular proteins can be dissociated from the level of S3 phosphorylation.