ΔLys120, a mutation which destabilizes the ribosome-binding domain of ribosomal protein L7/L12

Five-residue-long deletions centered on A1a63, A1a75, and Glu118 of ribosomal protein L7/L12 gave low mutant yields (5% or less) when the mutant genes were cloned in phage M13mp18 and controlled by the L10 promotor. Deletions of Glu118–Lys120 or Lys120 (the COOH-terminus of L7/L12) gave higher mutant yields, up to 50% with L7/L12ΔLys120. L7/L12ΔLys120 was not preferentially found in the S100 and not preferentially removed by LiCl washing, but was preferentially extracted from 70S ribosomes in the presence of 28–35% ethanol in 0.25–0.5 M NH4Cl. It follows that ΔLys120 destabilizes the ribosome-binding domain of ribosomal protein L7/L12 in an ethanol-containing solvent, which raises the question whether Lys120 is part of the ribosome-binding domain of L7/L12 during some step of protein synthesis or whether it is essential to preserve the conformation of the physiological ribosome-binding domain under structurally stressful conditions.Key words: ribosome, ribosomal protein L7/L12, site-directed mutagenesis.