A Ribosome Dissociation Factor from Rabbit Reticulocytes
Abstract
A ribosome dissociation factor has been detected in an extract of ribosomal particles from rabbit reticulocytes. This factor dissociates free ribosomes from reticulocytes and also from Escherichia coli; it does not dissociate ribosomes complexed with peptidyl-tRNA and mRNA. The reaction appears to be stoichiometric rather than catalytic; it reaches completion in one minute at 37°C, but is very slow at 0°C, and it is antagonized and reversed by Mg++. Reticulocyte dissociation factor thus closely resembles that from E. coli. However, the activity has been found primarily associated with the native large subunits rather than the small subunits in lysates.
