Evidence for specific inhibition of translocation of aminoacyl-transfer ribonucleic acid by the pretreatment of ribosomes of Bacillus subtilis with p-chloromercuribenzoate.

The biological activities of Bacillus subtilis ribosomes pretreated with 0.5, 1, or 2 mmp-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) were examined. The ribosomes treated with 1 or 2 mm PCMB lost their capacity to synthesize polyphenylalanine as well as the capacity to bind phenylalanyl-transfer ribonucleic acid. On the other hand, approximately 70% of the polyphenylalanine synthesis capacity was lost with ribosomes pretreated with 0.5 mm PCMB. This inhibition was found to be due to a specific inhibition of the translocation step. The effect of 0.5 mm PCMB was reversed by 20 mm Mg(2+) without the loss of PCMB bound to ribosomes, while beta-mercaptoethanol partially reversed the inhibitory effect with concomitant loss of bound PCMB.