Fluorometric investigation of the local conformation of 16S rRNA in the regions of the 3'- and 5'-ends.
The conformational changes of ribonucleic acid induced by heat treatment were studied by measurements of fluorescence polarization, circular dichroism, and ultraviolet absorption. The fluorescence polarization of proflavine covalently bound to the 3'-end of 16S ribosomal RNA of Escherichia coli and that of ethenoadenosine conjugated to the 5'-end of the RNA indicated that a conformational difference existed between heat-treated and untreated samples of the RNA in the regions near the 3'- and 5'-ends. Comparison of the fluorescence polarization data with other optical measurements indicated that the local conformation around the 3'- and 5'-ends of the RNA was converted to a more rigid and stable form by the heat treatment, while the gross conformation did not appear to change.
D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006358:Hot Temperature; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011048:Polarography; D011370:Proflavine; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D011370:Proflavine; D000241:Adenosine