Molecular interactions of ribosomal components. IV: Cooperative interactions during assembly in vitro.

Cooperative interactions between different 30S ribosomal proteins during assembly in vitro are described. The site specific binding of S7 to 16S RNA is enhanced by S20; that of S16 requires S4 and S20; and S7 is required for the maximum binding of S9, S13 and S19. Some of these interactions are reflected in the protein neighborhoods of the functional ribosome, but this may not be a general rule. Finally, we suggest that the assembly cooperativety observed may not be a consequence of direct-protein interactions.