Neutron small-angle scattering of E. coli ribosomes. A contrast variation study

Neutron small-angle scattering with the contrast-variation method has established that for 50S and 70S ribosomal particles the RNA-protein distribution is such that the RNA component is located predominantly towards the interior and the protein towards the exterior of the particle. In contrast, the 30S subunit is much more homogeneous in its RNA-protein distribution. The shape of the 50S subunit has been determined at low resolution.