The cytoplasmic 4 S translation inhibitory RNA species of chick embryonic muscle. Effect on mRNA binding to 43 S initiation complex.

A cytoplasmic 10 S ribonucleoprotein (iRNP) isolated from chick embryonic muscle is a potent inhibitor of mRNA translation in vitro and contains a 4 S translation inhibitory RNA species (iRNA) (Sarkar, S., Mukherjee, A. K., and Guha, C. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 5077-5086). Using an in vitro assay system, we show that the iRNA has no effect on the elongation phase of peptide synthesis. iRNA inhibits translation at the initiation step by inhibiting mRNA binding to 43 S initiation complexes. The iRNA does not inhibit the binding of Met-tRNAf to the 40 S ribosomal subunit, but rather causes an increase in the level of 43 S initiation complexes in the reticulocyte lysate. The formation of the 80 S initiation complex from the 43 S complex is specifically blocked in the presence of iRNA. The significance of these results in relation to biological function of iRNA is discussed.