Structural bases for an expanded codon recognition by modified nucleotide.

2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22510242
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Living organism molecular science
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: TAKEMOTO Chi 独立行政法人理化学研究所, システム研究チーム, 上級研究員 (40306527)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SUZUKI Takeo 東京大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (90533125)
• Project Period (FY): 2010 – 2012
• Keywords: リボソーム / X線結晶構造解析 / 超分子複合 / tRNA / 修飾塩基 / コドン認識 / Lysidine

Research Abstract

Some modified nucleotides in the first letter of a tRNA anticodon is known to expand the codon recognition ability. I planed to reveal the mechanism based on the three-dimensional structure of the codon-anticodon basepair in the 70S ribosome.
In this study, I have succeeded to establish a reproducible method of 70S ribosome preparation for highly diffracted crystals. Once good crystals are obtained, technical improvements are required in the following steps: refinement of crystallization condition, less damage for crystals during harvesting, and strategy of data collection at an atomic resolution.