title: Physical and morphological characteristics of eucaryotic ribosomes and lipopolysaccharide complexes.
abstract: Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Pasteurella multocida or Brucella abortus were complexed with Aspergillus fumigatus ribosomes by mixing and fixation for 3 days in 3.8% formaldehyde. To investigate the nature of their physical association, ribosomes, LPS, and ribosome-LPS complexes were (i) centrifuged in CsCl gradients to determine buoyant densities, (ii) examined by electron microscopy, and (iii) monitored by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Ribosomes were found to bind to LPS from either P. multocida or B. abortus, producing complexes with densities of 1.45 to 1.50 g/ml. The buoyant density of the fixed ribosomes was 1.54 g/ml, and the buoyant densities of the fixed P. multocida and B. abortus LPS were 1.41 and 1.35 g/ml, respectively. Electron microscopy showed that formaldehyde-fixed ribosomes were attached to the LPS. Complexing of ribosomes to LPS may be of importance as a potentiator or carrier for experimental subunit vaccines.
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus; D002003:Brucella abortus; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D002586:Cesium; D002712:Chlorides; D005557:Formaldehyde; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010325:Pasteurella; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D002712:Chlorides; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D005557:Formaldehyde; D002586:Cesium; C028019:cesium chloride