Studying functional significance of the sequence 980-1061 in the central domain of human 18S rRNA using complementary DNA probes.

Region 980-1061 in human 18S rRNA has been chosen on the basis of our previous results, indicating that cross-linking sites of the alkylating mRNA analogs are located within this region. In the present study, we have used 10 DNA 15-mers complementary to various overlapping sequences within the 18S rRNA positions 980-1061. Their abilities to bind selectively to the target rRNA sequences were proved by hydrolysis of 18S rRNA within heteroduplexes with the corresponding probes by RNase H. Four sequences (980-994, 987-1001, 1025-1039 and 1032-1046) were found to be well accessible for binding of the respective cDNA probes within 40S subunits. None of the oligomers inhibited tRNA(Phe)-dependent binding of oligo(U) messenger to 40S subunits and binding of Met-tRNA(imet) to 40S subunits in the presence of eIF-2 and nonhydrolysable GTP analog. Nevertheless, two probes (complementary to the 18S rRNA sequences 987-1001 and 1025-1039) being covalently attached to 40S subunits, inhibited translation of poly(U) by human 80S ribosomes in a cell-free system. The same oligomers revealed the most pronounced inhibitory action on the binding of messenger trinucleotide in the complex pAUG.40S.Met-tRNA(imet).eIF-2.GTP. Results of these functional assays demonstrate the importance of the 18S rRNA sequences 987-1001 and 1025-1039 for translation process on human ribosomes, most probably at the initiation step.