The conformation of ribonucleic acids in Escherichia coli ribosomes. Inferences from the mode of action of ribonuclease II.

1. Ribonuclease II of Escherichia coli degrades pulse-labelled RNA associated with ribosomes and polyuridylic acid on ribosomes and in solution to mononucleotides. 2. Ribosomal and pulse-labelled RNA in solution and ribosomal RNA in chloramphenicol particles (protein-deficient ribosomes) are degraded to oligonucleotides. 3. Ribosomal RNA in mature ribosomes is not attacked by the enzyme. 4. From the mode of action of ribonuclease II, which is specific for single-stranded polyribonucleotides and does not attack helical forms, it is inferred that pulse-labelled RNA associated with ribosomes of E. coli exists as a single-stranded structure and that ribosomal RNA in chloramphenicol particles has a pronounced helical character. 5. The different behaviour of ribonuclease II towards newly synthesized RNA, ribosomal RNA and chloramphenicol-particle RNA in E. coli ribosomes is discussed.