Ribosome assembly in three strains of Escherichia coli with mutations in the rpmB,G operon.

The rpmB,G operon of Escherichia coli codes for the synthesis of ribosomal proteins L28 and L33. In one mutant strain (TP28), these two proteins are made at about half their normal rates, ribosome assembly is greatly perturbed and precursor particles accumulate. The mutation in strain TP28 is in a Shine-Dalgarno sequence in the leader region of the rpmB,G messenger RNA. Another mutant, strain AM108, makes neither protein because it has the mobile element IS1 inserted into the rpmB coding sequence. Surprisingly, ribosome assembly in this strain is virtually normal with respect to growth rate. Strain AM90, which fails to make protein L33, has the element IS3 inserted into rpmG and also shows no major defects in ribosome assembly.