A survey of 50 S ribosomal subunits by dark field electron microscopy

A survey of dark field electron micrographs of the 50 S ribosomal subunit of E. coli has been performed and supplemented, for comparative purposes, by examination of negatively stained or metal shadowed specimens in the bright field mode. Attention was directed to the so-called "crown" and "kidney" views. The elongated appendage seen in negatively stained crown profiles was not observed in unstained or positively stained samples examined in dark field; these showed only symmetrical crown profiles regardless of changes in buffer type and drying method and of the presence or absence of uranyl acetate treatment and glutaraldehyde fixation. The crown view occasionally displayed a bifurcation in one of the lateral lobes, while the kidney profile showed a groove near the base of the convex edge. Uranyl acetate treatment produced delicate stripes which may give an indication of the surface RNA distribution.