Ribosomal proteins: their structure and spatial arrangement in prokaryotic ribosomes

During the last 15 years of ribosomal protein study, enormous progress has been made. Each of the proteins from E. coli ribosomes has been isolated, sequenced, and immunologically and physically characterized. Ribosomal proteins from other sources (e.g., from some bacteria, yeast, and rat) have been isolated and studied as well. Several proteins have recently been crystallized, and from the X-ray studies it is expected that much important information on the three-dimensional structure will be forthcoming. Many other proteins can probably be crystallized if suitable preparative procedures and crystallization conditions are found. Tremendous progress has also been made in deciphering the architecture of the ribosome. A battery of different methods has been used to provide the nearest neighbor distances of the ribosomal proteins in situ. Definitive measurements are now emanating from neutron-scattering experiments which also promise to give reasonably accurate radii of gyration of the proteins in situ. In turn, refined immune electron microscopy results supplement the neutron-scattering data and also position the proteins on the subunits themselves. This cannot be done by the other methods. Determination of the three-dimensional RNA structure within the ribosome is still in its infancy. Nonetheless, it is expected that by combining the data from protein-RNA and from RNA-RNA cross-linking studies, the structure of the RNA in situ can be unraveled. Of great interest is the fact that ribosomal subunits and ribosomes themselves have now been crystallized, and low-resolution structural maps have already been obtained. However, to grow suitable crystals and to resolve the ribosomal structure at a sufficiently high resolution remains a great challenge and task to biochemists and crystallographers.