Visualization of elongation factor G on the Escherichia coli 70S ribosome: the mechanism of translocation

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 May 26;95(11):6134-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.95.11.6134.

Abstract

During protein synthesis, elongation factor G (EF-G) binds to the ribosome and promotes the step of translocation, a process in which tRNA moves from the A to the P site of the ribosome and the mRNA is advanced by one codon. By using three-dimensional cryo-electron microscopy, we have visualized EF-G in a ribosome-EF-G-GDP-fusidic acid complex. Fitting the crystal structure of EF-G-GDP into the cryo density map reveals a large conformational change mainly associated with domain IV, the domain that mimics the shape of the anticodon arm of the tRNA in the structurally homologous ternary complex of Phe-tRNAPhe, EF-Tu, and a GTP analog. The tip portion of this domain is found in a position that overlaps the anticodon arm of the A-site tRNA, whose position in the ribosome is known from a study of the pretranslocational complex, implying that EF-G displaces the A-site tRNA to the P site by physical interaction with the anticodon arm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Escherichia coli / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli / ultrastructure
  • Peptide Elongation Factor G
  • Peptide Elongation Factors / chemistry
  • Peptide Elongation Factors / genetics*
  • Peptide Elongation Factors / ultrastructure
  • Protein Biosynthesis*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Ribosomes / chemistry
  • Ribosomes / genetics*
  • Ribosomes / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Peptide Elongation Factor G
  • Peptide Elongation Factors