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The ribosome moves: RNA mechanics and translocation

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology volume 24, pages 1021–1027 (2017)Cite this article

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Abstract

During protein synthesis, mRNA and tRNAs must be moved rapidly through the ribosome while maintaining the translational reading frame. This process is coupled to large- and small-scale conformational rearrangements in the ribosome, mainly in its rRNA. The free energy from peptide-bond formation and GTP hydrolysis is probably used to impose directionality on those movements. We propose that the free energy is coupled to two pawls, namely tRNA and EF-G, which enable two ratchet mechanisms to act separately and sequentially on the two ribosomal subunits.

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Figure 1: Conformational states and large-scale motions during ribosomal translocation.
Figure 2: Movement of the tRNA ASL on the 30S subunit.
Figure 3: Origins of 30S head-domain rotation.
Figure 4: tRNA constrains the conformational freedom of the ribosome.
Figure 5: Integrating kinetic and structural studies on translocation.

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  1. Jie Zhou

    Present address: Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology and Center for Molecular Biology of RNA, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA

    Harry F Noller, Laura Lancaster, Jie Zhou & Srividya Mohan

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Correspondence to Harry F Noller or Srividya Mohan.

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Noller, H., Lancaster, L., Zhou, J. et al. The ribosome moves: RNA mechanics and translocation. Nat Struct Mol Biol 24, 1021–1027 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb.3505

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