[Modification of sulfhydryl groups in ribosomal proteins by a dinitrophenyl hapten]

A dinitrophenyl hapten capable of protein SH-group modification was synthesized and the specificity of its reaction with SH-groups of the E. coli ribosomal proteins was studied. The possibility of incorporation of the Dnp-modified protein into ribosomal subunits by in vitro reconstitution was demonstrated with the ribosomal protein S12. The Dnp-hapten attached to the protein S12 was found to be accessible for interaction with the Dnp-specific antibodies and therefore to be exposed on the surface of the reconstituted 30S subunit. Thus, the approach for incorporation of the antigenic groups into the protein components of supramolecular structures was proposed.