Secondary structure of the large subunit ribosomal RNA from Escherichia coli, Zea mays chloroplast, and human and mouse mitochondrial ribosomes.

Short base-paired RNA fragments, and fragments containing intra-RNA cross-links, were isolated from E. coli 23S rRNA or 50S ribosomal subunits by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The interactions thus found were used as a first basis for constructing a secondary structure model of the 23S rRNA. Sequence comparison with the 23S rDNA from Z. mays chloroplasts, as well as with the 16S (large subunit) rDNA from human and mouse mitochondria, enabled the experimental model to be improved and extrapolated to give complete secondary structures of all four species. The structures are organized in well-defined domains, with over 450 compensating base changes between the two 23S species. Some ribosomal structural "'switches" were found, one involving 5S rRNA.