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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
11:19
Isolation of Translating Ribosomes Containing Peptidyl-tRNAs for Functional and Structural Analyses
Published on: February 25, 2011
Initiating translation with D-amino acids
Yuki Goto1, Hiroshi Murakami, Hiroaki Suga
1Research Center of Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan.
RNA (New York, N.Y.)
|June 3, 2008
Summary
The translation system can use D-amino acids as initiators, not just L-methionine. This discovery enables new methods for synthesizing peptides with D-amino acids at the N-terminus.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Protein Synthesis
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Protein synthesis typically initiates with L-methionine.
- The role of stereoisomers in translation initiation is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if D-amino acids can serve as translation initiators.
- To explore the efficiency and implications of D-amino acid-initiated translation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing flexizyme technology to charge initiator tRNA with 19 different D-amino acids.
- Employing a reconstituted Escherichia coli translation system.
- Analyzing peptide products for formylation and expression levels.
Main Results:
- All 19 tested D-amino acids successfully initiated translation.
- Initiation efficiency varied based on the D-amino acid side chain.
- Peptides were generally nonformylated, with preacetylation significantly boosting expression.
Conclusions:
- The translation initiation apparatus tolerates D-amino acids as initiators.
- Formylation efficiency is a key factor in D-amino acid-initiated translation.
- This research opens avenues for synthesizing N-terminally modified peptides.
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