Determinant of cistron specificity in bacterial ribosomes

Abstract

The sequence of the 3′-terminus of 16S RNA from different bacteria has been determined. Complementarity relationships between this sequence and a purine-rich tract in the ribosome binding site of different bacterial mRNAs suggest that the 3′-end of 16S RNA determines the intrinsic capacity of ribosomes to translate a particular cistron. © 1975 Nature Publishing Group.