The artificial ribosome, called
When the cell makes a protein, mRNA (messenger RNA) is copied from DNA. The ribosomes’ two subunits, one large and one small, unite on mRNA to form the functional unit that assembles the protein in a process called translation. Once the protein molecule is complete, the ribosome subunits — both of which are themselves made up of RNA and protein — separate from each other.
In a new study in the journal Nature, the researchers describe the design and properties of
No one has ever developed something of this nature.
«We felt like there was a small — very small — chance
Mankin, Jewett and their colleagues were frustrated in their investigations by the ribosomes’ subunits falling apart and coming together in every cycle of protein synthesis. Could the subunits be permanently linked together? The researchers devised a novel designer ribosome with tethered subunits —
«What we were ultimately able to do was show that by creating an engineered ribosome where the ribosomal RNA is shared between the two subunits and linked by these small tethers, we could actually create a dual translation system," Jewett said.
«It was surprising that our hybrid chimeric RNA could support assembly of a functional ribosome in the cell. It was also surprising that this tethered ribosome could support growth in the absence of
Jewett and Mankin were surprised by this. Scientists had previously believed that the ability of the two ribosomal subunits to separate was required for protein synthesis.
«Obviously this assumption was incorrect," Jewett said.
«Our new
«This is an exciting tool to explore ribosomal functions by experimenting with the most critical parts of the protein synthesis machine, which previously were ‘untouchable,’" Mankin added.
The study was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Science Foundation and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation Fellowship.
See more at: http://news.uic.edu/researchers-design-
