Ribosome movement, information processing and the language of life

Life requires information transfer from nucleic acids to proteins. This involves the physical movement of decoding machines (ribosomes) along linear nucleic acid templates (mRNAs). In a recent collaboration between the Schools of Biosciences and Computing, Kent researchers have deciphered the principles by which sophisticated ribosomal traffic control mechanisms enable cellular protein synthesis to proceed with optimal efficiency.

Dr Tobias von der Haar, the PI of this study, teaches Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Chu D, Kazana E, Bellanger N, Singh T, Tuite MF and von der Haar T (2014) Translation elongation can control translation initiation on eukaryotic mRNAs. EMBO Journal 33: 21-34.