To understand the biological function of macromolecules through their detailed molecular structure holds key to understanding the basic logic of life. Ribosomes are giant protein-RNA cellular organelle which synthesis proteins, key effector and controller of life chemistry, by catalysing the translation of the blueprints (genetic code) to proteins. Ribosomes are absolutely essential to the life of a cell since they are master player in one and only way by which cells can make proteins. Determination of high resolution structures of different functional state of this complex molecular machine will help us understand the deep scientific question on how does a ribosome work? There is a deep connection between the ribosomes and antibiotics. About half of the wide range of antibiotics that we use today targets these ribosomes to inhibit protein synthesis thereby killing the bacterial pathogen. The knowledge about the structure will also help in further research and development of antibiotics.
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas A. Steitz and Ada E. Yonath were awarded the Nobel Prize in the year 2009 for their discovery of high resolution atomic structure of ribosome thereby throwing light on how ribosome looks like and how does it function. It is a one of the great examples of how a biophysical technique, X-ray crystallography can be used to unravel molecular mechanisms in living cells and mark a milestone in the field of basic biology. Using this technique the positions of different atoms that make up the Ribosome was mapped.
The discovery of crystal structure of ribosome is important to the pharmaceutical industry because of its relevance in the area of structure based drug design. The use of antibiotics to treat infections is practiced all over the world. However the large scale use of antibiotics over a longer duration has led to the serious problem of antibiotic resistance hence compromising the effectiveness of the present antibiotics. The 3-D models which show how different antibiotics bind to ribosomes are now being used as leads for designing novel antibiotic drugs which can combat the resistant pathogenic strains and improve efficacy of present drugs. Hence this outstanding biophysical discovery is a major breakthrough and holds key to development of novel effective antibiotics for fighting this aggravating problem of antibiotic resistance in the whole world.
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas A. Steitz and Ada E. Yonath were awarded the Nobel Prize in the year 2009 for their discovery of high resolution atomic structure of ribosome thereby throwing light on how ribosome looks like and how does it function. It is a one of the great examples of how a biophysical technique, X-ray crystallography can be used to unravel molecular mechanisms in living cells and mark a milestone in the field of basic biology. Using this technique the positions of different atoms that make up the Ribosome was mapped.
The discovery of crystal structure of ribosome is important to the pharmaceutical industry because of its relevance in the area of structure based drug design. The use of antibiotics to treat infections is practiced all over the world. However the large scale use of antibiotics over a longer duration has led to the serious problem of antibiotic resistance hence compromising the effectiveness of the present antibiotics. The 3-D models which show how different antibiotics bind to ribosomes are now being used as leads for designing novel antibiotic drugs which can combat the resistant pathogenic strains and improve efficacy of present drugs. Hence this outstanding biophysical discovery is a major breakthrough and holds key to development of novel effective antibiotics for fighting this aggravating problem of antibiotic resistance in the whole world.