The translational inhibitor 10 S cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein of chick embryonic muscle. Dissociation and reassociation.

Cytoplasmic 10S ribonucleoprotein (iRNP) is a potent inhibitor of mRNA translation in vitro and contains a 4 S translation inhibitory RNA species (iRNA) (Sarkar, S., Mukherjee, A. K., and Guha, C. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 5077-5086). This ribonucleoprotein has now been resolved into protein and RNA components by DEAE-cellulose chromatography in the absence of both K+ and Mg2+ ions. These cations are required for maintaining the nucleoprotein structure of iRNP. Incubation of the dissociated protein and RNA components in the presence of K+ and Mg2+ at 35 degrees C reconstitutes a 10 S particle which is indistinguishable from native iRNP with respect to the elution profile by gel filtration, UV spectra, buoyant density, resistance to pancreatic RNase, and ability to inhibit exogenous mRNA translation in vitro. Chick muscle tRNA and globin mRNA could not form an RNP complex with the protein moieties of iRNP. The separated proteins, unlike iRNA and iRNP, do not inhibit mRNA translation. Their function may be to protect iRNA from ribonuclease digestion, since iRNP is ribonuclease-resistant. The ability to dissociate the iRNP particle and to specifically reconstitute it from the separated components indicates that it is a unique cellular entity which is distinct from other ribonucleoproteins.