The role of fluctuations in tRNA selection by the ribosome. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The detailed mechanism of how the ribosome decodes protein sequence information with an abnormally high accuracy, after 40 years of study, remains elusive. A critical element in selecting correct transfer RNA (tRNA) transferring correct amino acid is "induced fit" between the ribosome and tRNA. By using single-molecule methods, the induced fit mechanism is shown to position favorably the correct tRNA after initial codon recognition. We provide evidence that this difference in positioning and thermal fluctuations constitutes the primary mechanism for the initial selection of tRNA. This work demonstrates thermal fluctuations playing a critical role in the substrate selection by an enzyme.

publication date

  • August 15, 2007

Research

keywords

  • RNA, Transfer
  • Ribosomes

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC1949337

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 35348852506

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1073/pnas.0705988104

PubMed ID

  • 17699629

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 104

issue

  • 34