[Role of ribonucleic acids in organizing the structure of Escherichia coli ribosomes]

Abstract

The paper summarizes recent data on the secondary and tertiary structure of RNA in ribosomes. The participation of RNA in intraribosomal interactions and the role of these interactions in organization of ribosomal subunits are discussed. The following conclusions are made: 1) the structure of ribosomal subunits is predominantly created with their RNA components; 2) RNA molecules in ribosomal subunits have a very compact structure; the formation of this structure is followed by the rearrangement of the secondary structure of RNA; 3) the small group of ribosomal proteins plays an important role in the folding of RNA in the compact conformation: they not only stabilize intraribosomal RNA conformation but probably induce new RNA-RNA contacts.