1. Binding of mRNA to the 30S ribosomal subunit.
Binding of mRNA to the 30S ribosomal subunit. (A) Binding of a canonical mRNA to the 30S ribosomal subunit. Two alternative pathways are shown where either the mRNA or the fMet-tRNAfMet binds first, followed by the other component. The mRNA is bound via the SD-ASD interaction as well as the codon-anticodon interaction. (B) Binding of a leaderless mRNA to the 30S ribosomal subunit. The mRNA is bound to the ribosome mainly via the codon-anticodon interaction. IF2 stimulates the binding of leaderless mRNAs, presumably by recruitment of fMet-tRNAfMet to the subunit.
Brian Søgaard Laursen et al. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 2005; doi: /MMBR