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Related Concept Videos

Translation01:31

Translation

157.1K
Lesson: Translation
Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA). Following transcription, it constitutes the final step in the expression of genes. This process is carried out by ribosomes, complexes of protein and specialized RNA molecules. Ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and other proteins produce a chain of amino acids—the polypeptide—as the end product of translation.
Translation Produces the Building Blocks of...
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Translation01:31

Translation

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Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA). Following transcription, it constitutes the final step in the expression of genes. This process is carried out by ribosomes, complexes of protein and specialized RNA molecules. Ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and other proteins produce a chain of amino acids—the polypeptide—as the end product of translation.
Translation Produces the Building Blocks of Life
Proteins are...
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Types of Toxins01:36

Types of Toxins

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Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
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Initiation of Translation02:33

Initiation of Translation

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Initiating translation is complex because it involves multiple molecules. Initiator tRNA, ribosomal subunits, and eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) are all required to assemble on the initiation codon of mRNA. This process consists of several steps that are mediated by different eIFs.
First, the initiator tRNA must be selected from the pool of elongator tRNAs by eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2). The initiator tRNA (Met-tRNAi) has conserved sequence elements including modified bases at...
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Termination of Translation01:44

Termination of Translation

27.8K
The large ribosomal subunit has several important structures essential to translation. These include the peptidyl transferase center (PTC) - which is the site where the peptide bond is formed - and a large, internal, water-filled tube through which the nascent polypeptide moves. This latter structure is called the Peptide Exit Tunnel, and it begins at the PTC and spans the body of the large ribosomal subunit. During translation, as the nascent polypeptide chain is synthesized, it passes through...
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Termination of Translation01:44

Termination of Translation

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Harvesting Venom Toxins from Assassin Bugs and Other Heteropteran Insects
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Toxins that Trash Translation.

Allen R Buskirk1

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

Molecular Cell
|June 9, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

MazF, a toxin in E. coli, inhibits translation by cleaving mRNA and blocking ribosome production. This study challenges the idea that MazF creates specialized ribosomes for leaderless transcripts.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Bacterial Genetics
  • Gene Regulation

Background:

  • The MazF toxin in Escherichia coli (E. coli) is known to inhibit bacterial growth by affecting protein synthesis.
  • Previous models suggested MazF might generate specialized ribosomes to translate specific mRNA types, particularly leaderless transcripts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the precise mechanism by which MazF inhibits translation in E. coli.
  • To challenge or confirm existing hypotheses regarding MazF's role in ribosome function and mRNA targeting.

Main Methods:

  • RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was employed to analyze global changes in mRNA populations.
  • Ribosome profiling was utilized to assess which mRNAs were actively being translated and by which ribosomes.

Main Results:

  • MazF was found to directly cleave various messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to their degradation.
  • The study provides evidence that MazF inhibits ribosome biogenesis, impacting the overall production of functional ribosomes.
  • Contrary to prior assumptions, the data indicate that MazF does not generate specialized ribosomes that preferentially translate leaderless transcripts.

Conclusions:

  • MazF inhibits translation primarily through mRNA cleavage and disruption of ribosome biogenesis.
  • The findings necessitate a revision of the current understanding of MazF's mode of action in bacterial systems.
  • This work clarifies the molecular mechanisms underlying MazF-mediated translational repression in E. coli.