Salvation for Stalled Ribosomes tmRNA and trans-translation in Escherichia coli

Ribosomes stall indefinitely at the 3 ' end of the mRNAs that lack natural stop codon and also pause anywhere on normal mRNAs during starvation. This pausing traps a considerable population of ribosomes in an inactive state and leads to a deficiency of ribosomes for ongoing protein synthesis. Bacteria possess a special RNA molecule called the tmRNA (a chimera of tRNA and mRNA), which in association with its binding partner SmpB protein, rescues the stalled ribosomes in a complex multistep process called trans-translation. This review aims to discuss the process of trans-translation and its involvement in regulating macromolecular processes in bacteria.

Automated summary

Ribosomes stall at the 3' end of mRNAs lacking stop codons and pause on normal mRNAs during starvation, leading to ribosome deficiency. Bacteria use the tmRNA (a hybrid of tRNA and mRNA) in conjunction with the SmpB protein to rescue stalled ribosomes through the complex process of trans-translation. This review aims to discuss the role of trans-translation in regulating macromolecular processes in bacteria.