Double-Track Protein Synthesis

Ribosomes can produce proteins in two different ways. Jülich researchers have found this out by using a specially developed single-molecule fluorescence technology. The scientists were studying how bacterial ribosomes work. This showed that there are two parallel pathways for synthesizing proteins: In the established method, the building of proteins begins with separate subunits of the ribosomes. What’s new is that 15–20 % of cases of synthesizing a protein begin with complete ribosomes. This observation could also be important in explaining the antibiotics’ mechanisms of action.

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