Model of ribosome translation and mRNA unwinding

A ribosome is an enzyme that catalyzes translation of the genetic information encoded in messenger RNA (mRNA) into proteins. Besides translation through the single-stranded mRNA, the ribosome is also able to translate through the duplex region of mRNA via unwinding the duplex. Here, based on our proposed ribosome translation model, we study analytically the dynamics of Escherichia coli ribosome translation through the duplex region of mRNA, and compare with the available single molecule experimental data. It is shown that the ribosome uses only one active mechanism (mechanical unwinding), rather than two active mechanisms (open-state stabilization and mechanical unwinding), as proposed before, to unwind the duplex. The reduced rate of translation through the duplex region is due to the occurrence of futile transitions, which are induced by the energy barrier from the duplex unwinding to the forward translocation along the single-stranded mRNA. Moreover, we also present predicted results of the average translation rate versus the external force acting on the ribosome translating through the duplex region and through the single-stranded region of mRNA, which can be easily tested by future experiments.