Mutations within the 23S rRNA coding sequence of E. coli which block ribosome assembly.

We have used site specific mutagenesis in vitro to construct a set of deletion mutations within the 5' region of a cloned 23S rRNA gene. In contrast to previously studied mutations in this gene, some of these deletions prevent the incorporation of 23S rRNA into ribosomal particles. This result is discussed in terms of a model in which interaction with the assembly initiator protein, L24, is perturbed.