Becker's World of the Cell 9th Edition by Lewis Kleinsmith, Jeff Hardin, Gregory Paul Bertoni

Exercise 3

Toward an Artificial Cell. Scientists have recently constructed an artificial ribosome in vitro from purified ribosomal proteins and rRNAs.
(a)What types of intermolecular forces do you think are holding the individual proteins and rRNAs together in this supramolecular complex
(b)Describe specifically how high temperature, high salt, or low pH would disrupt its structure, causing the ribosome to fall apart.
(c)If you were asked to determine which organism the ribosomal components were from, how could you do this
(d)What other molecules would you have to add to the test tube in order for the ribosomes to make polypeptides (This may require some sleuthing in later chapters.)