Structural basis for mRNA and tRNA positioning on the ribosome.

Berk, Veysel; Zhang, Wen; Pai, Raj D; Cate, Jamie H D · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2006

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Protein synthesis requires the accurate positioning of mRNA and tRNA in the peptidyl-tRNA site of the ribosome. Here we describe x-ray crystal structures of the intact bacterial ribosome from Escherichia coli in a complex with mRNA and the anticodon stem-loop of P-site tRNA. At 3.5-A resolution, these structures reveal rearrangements in the intact ribosome that clamp P-site tRNA and mRNA on the small ribosomal subunit. Binding of the anticodon stem-loop of P-site tRNA to the ribosome is sufficient to lock the head of the small ribosomal subunit in a single conformation, thereby preventing movement of mRNA and tRNA before mRNA decoding.

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