Further studies on the lens cell-free system. In vitro synthesis of the non-crystallin lens proteins

Abstract

1. The lens cell-free system synthesizes in addition to the crystallins, polypeptides which co-electrophorese with lens plasma membrane protein components. 2. Isolated lens polysomes can be translated in a heterologous cell-free system. They code for both the crystallins and membrane-protein-like components. 3. If messengers isolated from these polysomes by affinity chromatography on oligo-(dT)-cellulose are added to a heterologous cell-free system, only lens proteins of lower molecular weight are synthesized. 4. Different ionic conditions are required for optimal translation of different lens messengers.