Peptide chain termination. VI. Purification and site of action of S

PEPTIDE CHAIN TERMINATION IS A RESULT OF AT LEAST TWO EVENTS: terminator codon recognition and hydrolysis of peptidyl tRNA. A protein factor S, isolated from the supernatant of Escherichia coli B, stimulates fMet release. Factor S lowers the K(m) for terminator trinucleotides without altering the V(max) of release and therefore acts at terminator codon recognition. The S protein differs from initiation factors, elongation factor G, several forms of elongation factor T and release factors. The importance of the 2% Tu content in purified S is unresolved.