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Ribosome as a molecular machine
Author(s) -
Spirin Alexander S
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(02)02309-8
Subject(s) - ribosome , molecular machine , translation (biology) , ribosomal rna , molecular motor , t arm , biophysics , elongation , messenger rna , ribosomal binding site , elongation factor , chemistry , transfer rna , computational biology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , biochemistry , genetics , rna , materials science , gene , ultimate tensile strength , metallurgy
General principles of structure and function of the ribosome are surveyed, and the translating ribosome is regarded as a molecular conveying machine. Two coupled conveying processes, the passing of compact tRNA globules and the drawing of linear mRNA chain through intraribosomal channel, are considered driven by discrete acts of translocation during translation. Instead of mechanical transmission mechanisms and power‐stroke ‘motors’, thermal motion and chemically induced changes in affinities of ribosomal binding sites for their ligands (tRNAs, mRNA, elongation factors) are proposed to underlie all the directional movements within the ribosomal complex. The GTP‐dependent catalysis of conformational transitions by elongation factors during translation is also discussed.