Author

Bruce Carden

Date of Award

7-1-1998

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Dr. William Tapprich

Abstract

Each ribosome in E. coli is composed of two associated subunits, the 30s small subunit and the 50S large subunit, forming the translationally competent 70S ribosome. Ribosomal subunit association is a critical feature of all stages of translation. One proposal for subunit association involves rRNA-rRNA interactions between the 790 loop in 16S rRNA and the 2750 loop in 23S rRNA. Each of these sequences are highly conserved, and more intriguingly have the potential to form Watson-Crick base-pairs with each other. The objectives of the study were to detail the role of the 2750 loop in subunit association and test the hypothesis that these regions base-pair during subunit association. These objectives were explored using site-directed mutagenesis. Single mutations were constructed at position 2755 of 23S rRNA and double mutants were constructed between positions 791 of 16S rRNA and 2755 of 23S rRNA.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Biology and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts University of Nebraska at Omaha. Copyright 1998 Bruce M. Carden.

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