title: Deepening ribosomal insights.
abstract: The remarkable progress of cryo-electron microscopy and crystallography in elucidating ribosomal structure and function continues. Most recently, two papers about complete 70S ribosomes from Thermus thermophilus at 2.8- and 3.7-A resolution give us more details about the conformations of bound transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules; the bridges between subunits; the locations and roles of proteins, magnesium ions, and water molecules; and the dynamics of ribosomes. Very significant new insights have been gained, particularly for the tRNAs, which can only be studied in their entirety in full ribosomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Box 124, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden. anders.liljas@mbfys.lu.se
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liljas
mesh_terms: D001695:Biology / Q000379:methods; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000737:chemistry; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016963:Thermus thermophilus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012343:RNA, Transfer