title: Mg2+, K+, and the ribosome.
abstract: Mg(2+) and K(+) are the prevalent di- and monovalent cations inside the cells in all three domains, playing a dominant role in structure and function of biological macromolecules. Ribosomes bind a substantial fraction of total Mg(2+) and K(+) cations. In this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology, Akanuma and coworkers (G. Akanuma et al., J. Bacteriol. 196:3820-3830, 2014, doi:10.1128/JB.01896-14) report a surprising genetic link between ribosome amounts per cell and the intracellular Mg(2+) concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany nierhaus@molgen.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Knud H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nierhaus
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C041672:ribosomal protein L34; D008274:Magnesium