[Interactions of ribosomes with an unsaturated fatty acid]

The interaction of bacterial and plant ribosomes with an unsaturated fatty acid and the effect of the latter on the physico-chemical properties of the ribosomes were studied. The ability of E. coli ribosomes and ribosomes from pea seedlings chloroplasts and cytoplasm to form complexes during interaction with the oleic acid were revealed. Evidence for heterogeneity of the bacterial ribosomal fraction, which manifests itself in the fact fat not all ribosomes within a single population are capable to interaction with the oleic acid have been obtained. Changes in the sedimentation and morphological properties typical for different types of ribosomes were observed. The interaction of bacterial ribosomes with the oleic acid and a subsequent removal of the oleic acid with Triton X-100 resulted in an increase of the sedimentation coefficient of the particles from 70S up to 175S and a considerable compactization of ribosomal particles. No such changes were observed in the case of plant ribosomes.