The Roles of RNA in the Synthesis of Protein

The crystal structures of ribosomes that have been obtained since 2000 have transformed our understanding of protein synthesis. In addition to proving that RNA is responsible for catalyz-ing peptide bond formation, these structures have provided important insights into the mech-anistic details of how the ribosome functions. This review emphasizes what has been learned about the mechanism of peptide bond formation, the antibiotics that inhibit ribosome func-tion, and the fidelity of decoding. Outline