Articles

From DNA to proteins via the ribosome: Structural insights into the workings of the translation machinery

Frank, Joachim; Agirrezabala, Xabier

Understanding protein synthesis in bacteria and humans is important for understanding the origin of many human diseases and devising treatments for them. Over the past decade, the field of structural biology has made significant advances in the visualisation of the molecular machinery involved in protein synthesis. It is now possible to discern, at least in outline, the way that interlocking ribosomal components and factors adapt their conformations throughout this process. The determination of structures in various functional contexts, along with the application of kinetic and fluorescent resonance energy transfer approaches to the problem, has given researchers the frame of reference for what remains as the greatest challenge: the complete dynamic portrait of protein synthesis in the cell.

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Also Published In

Title
Human Genomics

More About This Work

Academic Units
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published Here
September 8, 2014