The synthesis of 5S RNA and its relationship to 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA in the bobbed mutants of Drosophila melanogaster.

Ribosomes contain one molecule each of 5S, 18S and 28S RNA. In Drosophila melanogaster although the genes for 18S + 28S are physically separated from the 5S RNA genes, the multiplicity of various ribosomal RNA genes is roughly the same. Thus a coordinate synthesis of these three molecules might seem feasible. This problem has been approached by determining the molar ratios of various RNA's in ovaries and in adult flies. In ovaries there is a slight excess of 5S RNA molecules over other rRNA's, but in adult flies no such differences exist. Bobbed mutants also have the same molar ratios as wild-type flies. Results on 5S RNA synthesis in both in vitro and in vivo studies show that it is reduced in coordination with 18S + 28S rRNA in the bobbed mutants of Drosophila melanogaster. Various possibilities are discussed in considering the implications of these results.