Structures of the bacterial ribosome in classical and hybrid states of tRNA binding

Science. 2011 May 20;332(6032):981-4. doi: 10.1126/science.1202692.

Abstract

During protein synthesis, the ribosome controls the movement of tRNA and mRNA by means of large-scale structural rearrangements. We describe structures of the intact bacterial ribosome from Escherichia coli that reveal how the ribosome binds tRNA in two functionally distinct states, determined to a resolution of ~3.2 angstroms by means of x-ray crystallography. One state positions tRNA in the peptidyl-tRNA binding site. The second, a fully rotated state, is stabilized by ribosome recycling factor and binds tRNA in a highly bent conformation in a hybrid peptidyl/exit site. The structures help to explain how the ratchet-like motion of the two ribosomal subunits contributes to the mechanisms of translocation, termination, and ribosome recycling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anticodon / chemistry
  • Anticodon / metabolism
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Escherichia coli
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Protein Biosynthesis
  • RNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • RNA, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / chemistry
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / chemistry
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / metabolism
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / chemistry
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / metabolism
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / chemistry
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / metabolism
  • RNA, Transfer, Phe / chemistry
  • RNA, Transfer, Phe / metabolism*
  • Ribosomal Proteins / metabolism
  • Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial / chemistry*
  • Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial / ultrastructure
  • Ribosome Subunits, Small, Bacterial / chemistry*
  • Ribosome Subunits, Small, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • Ribosome Subunits, Small, Bacterial / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Anticodon
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 23S
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl
  • RNA, Transfer, Phe
  • Ribosomal Proteins
  • ribosome releasing factor
  • tRNA, peptidyl-

Associated data

  • PDB/3R8N
  • PDB/3R8O
  • PDB/3R8S
  • PDB/3R8T