Ribosomes are the complex biological machines that are responsible for protein synthesis.
The challenge is to understand the mechanism by which ribosomes carry out these complex steps with incredible speed and accuracy. We are interested specifically in the mechanism of translocation. Since ribosomes are ancient, the mechanism must be fundamental to biology and serves as an important paradigm. Furthermore, many of the antibiotics currently used to treat bacterial infections target the ribosome. Understanding the mechanism of translation will provide insights into the action of current antibiotics, and may ultimately lead to the rational design of novel, more effective therapeutic reagents against bacteria and parasites.