During translation, a conserved GTPase elongation factor-EF-G in bacteria or eEF2 in eukaryotes-translocates tRNA and mRNA through the ribosome. EF-G has been proposed to act as a flexible motor that propels tRNA and mRNA movement, as a rigid pawl that biases unidirectional translocation resulting from ribosome rearrangements, or by various combinations of motor- and pawl-like mechanisms. Using time-resolved cryo-EM, we visualized GTP-catalyzed translocation without inhibitors, capturing elusive structures of ribosome•EF-G intermediates at near-atomic resolution. Prior to translocation, EF-G binds near peptidyl-tRNA, while the rotated 30S subunit stabilizes the EF-G GTPase center. Reverse 30S rotation releases Pi and translocates peptidyl-tRNA and EF-G by ~20 Å. An additional 4-Å translocation initiates EF-G dissociation from a transient ribosome state with highly swiveled 30S head. The structures visualize how nearly rigid EF-G rectifies inherent and spontaneous ribosomal dynamics into tRNA-mRNA translocation, whereas GTP hydrolysis and Pi release drive EF-G dissociation.

• MeSH
• aminoacyl-tRNA metabolismus   MeSH
• elektronová kryomikroskopie * MeSH
• elongační faktor G chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• Escherichia coli chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• fosfáty metabolismus   MeSH
• guanosintrifosfát chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• malé podjednotky ribozomu bakteriální chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• messenger RNA metabolismus   MeSH
• proteosyntéza MeSH
• ribozomy chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA transferová metabolismus   MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Frameshifting of mRNA during translation provides a strategy to expand the coding repertoire of cells and viruses. How and where in the elongation cycle +1-frameshifting occurs remains poorly understood. We describe seven ~3.5-Å-resolution cryo-EM structures of 70S ribosome complexes, allowing visualization of elongation and translocation by the GTPase elongation factor G (EF-G). Four structures with a + 1-frameshifting-prone mRNA reveal that frameshifting takes place during translocation of tRNA and mRNA. Prior to EF-G binding, the pre-translocation complex features an in-frame tRNA-mRNA pairing in the A site. In the partially translocated structure with EF-G•GDPCP, the tRNA shifts to the +1-frame near the P site, rendering the freed mRNA base to bulge between the P and E sites and to stack on the 16S rRNA nucleotide G926. The ribosome remains frameshifted in the nearly post-translocation state. Our findings demonstrate that the ribosome and EF-G cooperate to induce +1 frameshifting during tRNA-mRNA translocation.

• MeSH
• biokatalýza MeSH
• elektronová kryomikroskopie MeSH
• elongace translace peptidového řetězce genetika   MeSH
• elongační faktor G chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Escherichia coli genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• konformace nukleové kyseliny MeSH
• konformace proteinů MeSH
• messenger RNA chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• posun čtecího rámce na ribozómech genetika   MeSH
• proteiny z Escherichia coli chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• ribozomy genetika   metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA transferová chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• tRNA-methyltransferasy genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Ribosomes stalled during translation must be rescued to replenish the pool of translation-competent ribosomal subunits. Bacterial alternative rescue factor B (ArfB) releases nascent peptides from ribosomes stalled on mRNAs truncated at the A site, allowing ribosome recycling. Prior structural work revealed that ArfB recognizes such ribosomes by inserting its C-terminal α-helix into the vacant mRNA tunnel. In this work, we report that ArfB can efficiently recognize a wider range of mRNA substrates, including longer mRNAs that extend beyond the A-site codon. Single-particle cryo-EM unveils that ArfB employs two modes of function depending on the mRNA length. ArfB acts as a monomer to accommodate a shorter mRNA in the ribosomal A site. By contrast, longer mRNAs are displaced from the mRNA tunnel by more than 20 Å and are stabilized in the intersubunit space by dimeric ArfB. Uncovering distinct modes of ArfB function resolves conflicting biochemical and structural studies, and may lead to re-examination of other ribosome rescue pathways, whose functions depend on mRNA lengths.

• MeSH
• biokatalýza MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• dimerizace MeSH
• konformace proteinů MeSH
• messenger RNA genetika   metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• podjednotky ribozomu metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny z Escherichia coli chemie   metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• ribozomy metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• stabilita RNA MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH