Molecular forces in ribosomes and polynucleotide complexes

The stability constant of the complex of tRNA with 50S subunits of ribosomes was compared in ordinary and heavy water. A considerable effect (about fourfold) was observed, showing the importance of hydrogen bonds in this interaction. In addition, the isotope effect of complementary polynucleotide interaction was measured for two examples. In the case of the binary complex of heptainosinic acid oligomers with poly(C) in the presence of 10−3 M MgCl2, the transfer from ordinary to heavy water gave an increase of the stability constant of about 5%. But in the case of a ternary complex of hexaadenylic acid with poly(U) under the same conditions, the stability constant in D2O increased threefold. The isotope effect depends strongly on magnesium ion concentration and is possibly due to some specific mechanism of magnesium ion complexing involving water molecules.