Thermally induced intracellular alteration of ribosomal ribonucleic acid

Heating at 55 C causes the intracellular degradation of ribosomes of Staphylococcus aureus MF-31. The 30S subunit of heated cells appears to be selectively attacked. Analysis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) showed that 16S RNA was destroyed and that the secondary structure of 23S RNA was altered.