Cotranslational Events or the First Moments in the Life of Protein

Proteins are biopolymers composed of amino acids. Proteins play a role almost in all processes in living organisms. In cells, proteins are synthesized on ribosomes in a process called translation, where amino acids are connected one at a time by a chemical bond according to a pre-defined scenario stored as the genetic information. Relative to their lifetime, proteins spend non-negligible time attached to the ribosome. This review focuses on phenomena that involve a nascent protein before it is released from the ribosome, i.e., in the first moments of their own synthesis, co-translationally. The text partly covers a lecture given by the author at the Summer School for High School Teachers and Students organized by UCT Prague in August 2021.

Automated summary

Proteins, composed of amino acids, play essential roles in virtually all biological processes. Synthesized on ribosomes through a process called translation, proteins spend a significant amount of time attached to the ribosome. This review focuses on events involving nascent proteins during their synthesis, co-translationally, shedding light on the initial moments of protein formation.