Number of tRNA binding sites on 80 S ribosomes and their subunits

The ability of rabbit liver ribosomes and their subunits to form complexes with different forms of tRNA Phe (aminoacyl-, peptidyl- and deacylated) was studied using the nitrocellulose membrane filtration technique. The 80 S ribosomes were shown to have two binding sites for aminoacyl- or peptidyl-tRNA and three binding sites for deacylated tRNA. The number of tRNA binding sites on 80 S ribosomes or 40 S subunits is constant at different Mg 2+ concentrations (5–20 mM). Double reciprocal or Scatchard plot analysis indicates that the binding of Ac-Phe-tRNA Phe to the ribosomal sites is a cooperative process. The third site on the 80 S ribosome is formed by its 60 S subunit, which was shown to have one codon-independent binding site specific for deacylated tRNA.