Studies on the role of polyamines associated with the ribosomes from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

1. Spermine and spermidine were the main polyamines detectable in Bacillus stearothermophilus. 2. When grown at 65 degrees B. stearothermophilus contained lower concentrations of polyamines per mg. of RNA than when grown at 45 degrees or at 55 degrees . 3. Ribosomes isolated from B. stearothermophilus in 0.01m-tris-hydrochloric acid buffer (pH7.4)-0.01m-magnesium chloride contained sufficient polyamines to neutralize between 4% and 9% of their RNA phosphorus. 4. Removal of polyamines from the ribosomes by dialysis against m-potassium chloride did not appreciably alter the hypochromicity or thermal denaturation profiles of the ribosomes when measured in 0.01m-tris-hydrochloric acid buffer (pH7.4)-0.01m-magnesium chloride, though it did cause a loss of ribosome particles sedimenting at greater than 78s. 5. When ribosomes were dialysed against acridine orange solutions acridine orange bound to the ribosomes and did not displace spermine, but when a mixture of ribosomal RNA and spermine was dialysed against acridine orange the acridine orange displaced the spermine. It is concluded that polyamines in the ribosomes are less accessible for displacement by acridine orange than when polyamines are bound to ribosomal RNA.