National Laboratory has produced the first high-resolution images of a complete ribosome complex. Ribosomes synthesize proteins in the cell by using genetic information to assemble amino acids. Although smaller than most viruses, a bacterial ribosome is a very large molecular complex, consisting of three RNA molecules and more than 50 protein molecules, with a mass of some 2.5 million daltons. Earnest is the group leader of the Macromolecular Crystallography Facility.
Ribosomes are tiny organelles responsible for protein synthesis in the cell.
Until the advent of synchrotron radiation facilities like the ALS, obtaining detailed information about macromolecular structures such as ribosomes was an almost insurmountable challenge. Yet this information is essential for understanding the mechanism by which these critical organelles function. While other research groups have obtained high-resolution images of individual ribosome subunits, Noller and his group, with Earnest, are the first to produce a detailed look at an entire ribosome complex. There is the moment of discovering the ignition key, the gas pedal, the brakes and steering wheel, followed by years of speculation as to how they work. Eventually, someone lifts the hood, and a new era of experimentation and speculation ensues.