title: Movement of the 3'-end of 16 S RNA towards S21 during activation of 30 S ribosomal subunits.
abstract: Fluorescence techniques were used to study conformational changes that occur in inactive E. coli 30 S ribosomal subunits during activation by heating in 12 mM Mg2+. Activation is associated with movement of a fluorophore on the 3'-end of 16 S RNA into a less polar environment and towards a probe on the cysteine thiol of ribosomal protein S21. The conformational change causes an apparent decrease in distance between the probes from 59 to 52 A as determined by non-radiative energy transfer.
mesh_terms: D004926:Escherichia coli; D008274:Magnesium; D009068:Movement; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000502:physiology*; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D008274:Magnesium