Ribosome function

• Article • • 07 June 2019 Importance of potassium ions for ribosome structure and function revealed by long-wavelength X-ray diffraction • • ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5199-5157 • ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3506-6045 • • ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0106-2724 • • • ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8995-7324 • … • Show authors Nature Communications volume 10, Article number: 2519 ( 2019) The ribosome, the largest RNA-containing macromolecular machinery in cells, requires metal ions not only to maintain its three-dimensional fold but also to perform protein synthesis. Despite the vast biochemical data regarding the importance of metal ions for efficient protein synthesis and the increasing number of ribosome structures solved by X-ray crystallography or cryo-electron microscopy, the assignment of metal ions within the ribosome remains elusive due to methodological limitations. Here we present extensive experimental data on the potassium composition and environment in two structures of functional ribosome complexes obtained by measurement of the potassium anomalous signal at the K-edge, derived from long-wavelength X-ray diffraction data. We elucidate the role of potassium ions in protein synthesis at the three-dimensional level, most notably, in the environment of the ribosome functional decoding and peptidyl transferase centers. Our data expand the fundamental knowledge of the mechanism of ribosome function and structural integrity. Metal ions play key roles in a broad range of ce...

nucleic acid: Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) The rRNAs form extensive secondary structures and play an active role in recognizing conserved portions of mRNAs and tRNAs. In Escherichia coli, seven copies of the rRNA genes synthesize about 15,000 ribosomes per cell. There are radical differences between prokaryotes in the domains In bacteria the 16S rRNA gene is present in all bacteria, and a related form occurs in all cells, including those of eukaryotes. Analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences from many organisms has revealed that some portions of the molecule undergo rapid genetic changes, thereby distinguishing between different species within the same genus. Other positions change very slowly, allowing much broader taxonomic levels to be distinguished.

Cell Ribosome Ribosomes are like tiny factories in the cell. They make proteins that perform all sorts of functions for the cell's operation. Where are ribosomes located inside the cell? Ribosomes are either located in the liquid inside the cell called the cytoplasm or attached to the membrane. They can be found in both prokaryote (bacteria) and eukaryote (animals and plants) cells. Organelle Ribosomes are a type of organelle. Organelles are structures that perform specific functions for the cell. The ribosome's job is to make proteins. Other organelles include the nucleus and the mitochondria. Ribosome Structure The ribosome has two main components called the large subunit and the small subunit. These two units come together when the ribosome is ready to make a new protein. Both of the subunits consist of strands of RNA and various proteins. • Large subunit - The large subunit contains the site where new bonds are made when creating proteins. It is called the "60S" in eukaryotic cells and the "50S" in prokaryotic cells. • Small subunit - The small subunit really isn't that small, just a bit smaller than the large subunit. It is responsible for the flow of information during protein synthesis. It is called the "40S" in eukaryotic cells and the "50S" in prokaryotic cells. The "S" in the subunit names is a unit of measure and stands for the Svedberg unit. Protein Synthesis The main job of the ribosome is to make proteins for the cell. There can be hundreds of proteins that n...