Ribosomal movement impeded at a pseudoknot required for frameshifting.
Translational frameshifting sometimes occurs when ribosomes encounter a "shift" site preceding a region of unusual secondary structure, which in at least three cases is known to be a pseudoknot. We provide evidence that ribosomes have a decreased rate of movement through a pseudoknot required for frameshifting. These paused ribosomes are directly situated over the shift sequence. Ribosomal pausing appears to be necessary but not sufficient for frameshifting.
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Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo 14260.
Tzeng
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Bruenn
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D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010441:Peptide Chain Elongation, Translational; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits; D012156:Reticulocytes; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger