Molecular mechanism and physiological roles of trans-translation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23380045
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied microbiology
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: AKIRA Muto 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 研究員 (80034635)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HIMENO Hyouta 弘前大学, 農学生命科学部, 教授 (80208785)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: trans-translation / tmRNA / tRNA / mRNA / ribosome / EF-Tu / SmpB / ribosome resque

Outline of Final Research Achievements

tmRNA, which functions as both tRNA and mRNA, is invoved in an abnormal translation process, trans-translation, to rescue stalled ribosomes in eubacterial cells. We have developed an in vitro system to investigate the molecular mechanism of trans-translation using purified necessary components for the reaction. Using this system, we determined the relative positions of tRNA/smpB on the ribosome in each steps of trans-translation process by hydroxyl-radical probing experiment and FLET measurements. We also indicated that tmRNA/SmpB/EF-Tu/GTP complex recognizes the ribosomal state whether the 3'end of mRNA remains on the A-site of ribosome, and when the 3'end of mRNA remains on A-site, the complex releases ribosomes after GTP hydrolysis.

Free Research Field

分子遺伝学