Physical studies on the ribosomal "A" protein from two archaebacteria, Halobacterium cutirubrum and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

Physical studies on the effect of temperature and ionic conditions on the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of the ribosomal "A" protein, equivalent to L7/L12 in Escherichia coli, from two archaebacteria were performed using circular dichroism and sedimentation equilibrium measurements. The two archaebacteria investigated were Halobacterium cutirubrum, an extreme halophile, and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, a thermophile which also showed properties of a moderate halophile. The changes in the secondary structure and the thermostability of these proteins were directly related to the internal salt concentrations of the two archaebacteria. At the higher salt concentrations the changes in the secondary structure resulted in changes in the tertiary and quaternary structure of these proteins.