Scientists Observe Ribosome Processes

Mar 26, 12:55 PM

Current Headlines: U.S. scientists have developed a means of observing a cell's key structural processes occurring at the molecular level during the synthesis of protein.

A Weill Cornell Medical College team in New York said the new technology might revolutionize research into ribosome -- a kind of factory for protein in the cell that has long been a prime target for drug discovery.

The scientists, led by Scott Blanchard, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics, said the technology allows the creation of real-time movies of key structural processes within the ribosome underpinning the synthesis of protein. The researchers said they accomplished the study in a manner that should someday allow for screening of novel drugs that inhibit the ribosome, or for the improvement of existing antibiotics that are sometimes toxic.

This is really a proof-of-principle of what we hoped we could achieve -- that we can make these types of measurements in a very robust and high-throughput manner, said Blanchard.

His team published the findings in the journal Molecular Cell.