Specific Interactions of the Ribosome with the Nascent Peptide

智力优点核糖体是一种细胞分子机器，负责蛋白质的合成。直到最近人们才认识到，核糖体不仅可以组装新的蛋白质，而且还可以检查它所制造的蛋白质的结构。核糖体可以识别新合成的蛋白质结构中的特定信号，并对这些结构中编码的某些信息做出反应。这种核糖体反应被怀疑控制许多基因的表达和优化蛋白质的生产。然而，蛋白质检测的机制还不清楚，也不知道由这种机制调节的细胞基因谱。该项目的主要目标是确定由蛋白质检查机制控制的细菌基因，并了解这种机制如何在分子水平上运作。核糖体和新生蛋白质之间的通信的原则将被调查和新的方式来影响这些通信将被探索。尖端的基因组学和蛋白质组学技术将被用来检查核糖体如何读取单个细胞基因的遗传信息，并确定核糖体暂停的位点。这些位点通常表明核糖体从新合成的蛋白质中接收到了“减速”信号。核糖体暂停发生的基因之间的结构相似性将被确定，信号识别和核糖体反应的分子机制将使用新的生物化学技术进行探索。更广泛的影响这项研究的结果可能会显着改变我们对蛋白质是如何产生的和基因是如何调控的理解。这项研究可能揭示的原理不仅适用于细菌，也适用于其他细胞和生物体。新获得的知识可以使科学受益，因为它可能对优化细菌中有用蛋白质的生产具有重要的生物技术意义。这项研究将对教育和向公众推广科学知识产生直接影响。研究结果将立即用于药学专业和研究生的课程。延续以往的做法，该项目将用于吸引研究生、本科生和高中生开展相关的基础研究，部分研究将作为科学项目提供给芝加哥地区的高中生。参与这项研究的人员将参加芝加哥市中心学校的科学相关活动，特别是将工作重点放在科学代表性不足的少数民族学生比例较高的学校。将招收国际学生和实习生协助这项研究，这将有助于向其他国家传播科学知识。 此外，它将支持在爱沙尼亚进行的国际合作。 该项目得到了国际科学与工程办公室的共同支持。

Intellectual MeritThe ribosome is a cellular molecular machine that is responsible for synthesis of proteins. It has been recognized only recently that the ribosome not only assembles new proteins, but can also inspect the structure of the protein it makes. The ribosome can recognize specific signals in the structure of the newly synthesized protein and it can respond to certain messages encoded in these structures. Such ribosomal response is suspected to control expression of many genes and to optimize protein production. However, the mechanism of the protein inspection is not well understood, nor is the spectrum of cellular genes regulated by this mechanism known. The main goal of the project is to identify bacterial genes that are controlled by the mechanism of the protein inspection and to understand how this mechanism operates at the molecular level. The principles of communication between the ribosome and the nascent protein will be investigated and new ways to affect these communications will be explored. Cutting-edge genomics and proteomics techniques will be used to inspect how the ribosomes read the genetic information of individual cellular genes and to identify the sites of the ribosome pausing. Such sites usually indicate that the ribosome received a "slow down" signal from the newly synthesized protein. The structural similarities between the genes at which ribosome pausing occurs will be identified and molecular mechanisms of signal recognition and ribosomal response will be explored using novel biochemical techniques.Broader ImpactThe results of the study may significantly change our understanding of how proteins are being made and how genes are regulated. The principles that might be unraveled in this investigation likely apply not only to bacteria but also to other cells and organisms. The newly acquired knowledge can benefit science as it may have important biotechnological implications for optimizing production of useful proteins in bacteria. The research will have a direct impact on education and advancing scientific knowledge to the public. The results of the study will be immediately used in the curriculum of the Pharmacy professional and graduate students. Continuing the previous practices, the project will be used to attract graduate, undergraduate and high school students to carry out relevant fundamental research.Some parts of the study will be offered as science projects for the high-school students from Chicago area. The personnel involved in the study will participate in science-related activities in the inner-city schools in Chicago, especially focusing the effort on schools with a high proportion of students from ethnic groups underrepresented in science. International students and interns will be enrolled to assist with the study which will help to disseminate scientific knowledge to other nations. In addition, it will support an ongoing international collaboration in Estonia. Project is supported jointly with the Office of International Science and Engineering.