Ribosomal protein synthesis by a mutant of Escherichia coli.

The mutant strain of Escherichia coli, TP28, synthesises ribosomes by an abnormal pathway and accumulates large quantities of 47S ribonucleoprotein particles. The protein complement of mutant 70S ribosomes is normal but 47S particles contain only traces of proteins L28 and L33 and have a significantly reduced content of four other proteins. The mutation reduces the rates of synthesis of L28 and L33 by about half but other widespread alterations ensue. In particular, ribosomal protein synthesis in the mutant strain becomes less well balanced than in its parent: some proteins, particularly those from promoter-proximal genes, are oversynthesized and their excess then degraded.