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
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Anticodon / chemistry
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Anticodon / metabolism
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Crystallography, X-Ray
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Escherichia coli
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Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism
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Models, Molecular
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Nucleic Acid Conformation
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Protein Biosynthesis
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RNA, Bacterial / chemistry
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RNA, Bacterial / metabolism*
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RNA, Messenger / chemistry
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / chemistry
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / metabolism
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RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / chemistry
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RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / metabolism
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RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / chemistry
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RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / metabolism
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RNA, Transfer, Phe / chemistry
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RNA, Transfer, Phe / metabolism*
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Ribosomal Proteins / metabolism
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Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial / chemistry*
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Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial / metabolism*
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Ribosome Subunits, Large, Bacterial / ultrastructure
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Ribosome Subunits, Small, Bacterial / chemistry*
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Ribosome Subunits, Small, Bacterial / metabolism*
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Ribosome Subunits, Small, Bacterial / ultrastructure
Substances
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Anticodon
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Escherichia coli Proteins
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RNA, Bacterial
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RNA, Messenger
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
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RNA, Ribosomal, 23S
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RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl
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RNA, Transfer, Phe
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Ribosomal Proteins
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ribosome releasing factor
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tRNA, peptidyl-
Associated data
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PDB/3R8N
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PDB/3R8O
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PDB/3R8S
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PDB/3R8T