Small Ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid Species of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Yeast ribosomes contain two small molecular-weight species of ribonucleic acid (RNA), in addition to transiently associated transfer RNA. The 5S RNA species is part of the large ribosomal subunit and appears to be exactly the same size as 5S RNA from other organisms. There is another RNA molecule, approximately 5.8S or 150 nucleotides in size, which is noncovalently attached to the 25S ribosomal RNA and can be freed by gentle heating or urea treatment. Neither 5 nor 5.8S RNA are methylated. The 5.8S RNA is probably derived from a part of the 35S precursor RNA, whereas the 5S RNA is made de novo. These results substantiate the notion that ribosome biosynthesis in yeast is analogous to that of the higher eukaryotes.