GU receptors of double helices mediate tRNA movement in the ribosome
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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Isolation of Translating Ribosomes Containing Peptidyl-tRNAs for Functional and Structural Analyses
Published on: February 26, 2011
Matthieu G Gagnon1, Sergey V Steinberg
1Département de Biochimie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Abstract:
A new RNA structural motif consisting of two double helices closely packed via minor grooves is found in many places in the ribosome structure. The packing requires that a GU base pair in one helix be packed against a Watson-Crick pair in the other helix. Two such motifs mediate the interaction of the P- and E-tRNA with the large ribosomal subunit. Analysis of the particular positions of these two motifs in view of the available data on occupancy of tRNA-binding sites and structural changes in the ribosome during the elongation cycle suggests a distinct role for each motif in tRNA translocation.
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