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16 November 2006

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Translocation of messenger RNA is one of the most important features of ribosome function and until now a complete structural picture of mRNA movement has been lacking. Now Yusupova et al. describe a series of structures that define how during initiation the mRNA's start codon is recognized, how rotation and movement of the mRNA in the 3'–5' direction occurs in the post-initiation state, and how mRNA interactions differ during initiation and elongation. This is the first time the mRNA dynamics have been experimentally visualized.

Letter: Structural basis for messenger RNA movement on the ribosome

Gulnara Yusupova, Lasse Jenner, Bernard Rees, Dino Moras and Marat Yusupov

doi:10.1038/nature05281

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