DOI: 10.1126/science.1131127 ISSN:
Structure of the 70 S Ribosome Complexed with mRNA and tRNA
Maria Selmer, Christine M. Dunham, Frank V. Murphy, Albert Weixlbaumer, Sabine Petry, Ann C. Kelley, John R. Weir, V. Ramakrishnan- Multidisciplinary
The crystal structure of the bacterial 70 S ribosome refined to 2.8 angstrom resolution reveals atomic details of its interactions with messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA). A metal ion stabilizes a kink in the mRNA that demarcates the boundary between A and P sites, which is potentially important to prevent slippage of mRNA. Metal ions also stabilize the intersubunit interface. The interactions of E-site tRNA with the 50 S subunit have both similarities and differences compared to those in the archaeal ribosome. The structure also rationalizes much biochemical and genetic data on translation.