Protein translation process

Protein translation, also called protein synthesis, is a universally conserved process essential for gene expression, wherein ribosomes synthesize proteins by decoding the genetic instructions carried by messenger RNA. The process proceeds through three main steps—initiation, elongation, and termination—utilizing a complex set of macromolecules including ribosomal subunits, initiation/elongation/release factors, and transfer RNAs. Translation is indispensable for cellular structure, growth, function, and adaptation. Dysregulation of translation contributes to diverse diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders, and infection. Though the process can be targeted by certain drugs (antibiotics, antineoplastics), "protein translation" itself is not a single molecular drug target but a process comprising many potential targetable components (such as specific ribosomal proteins or translation factors).

Other names

Protein synthesisTranslation (biology)mRNA translationProtein biosynthesis

Inhibition of ribosome function, inhibition of tRNA binding, interference with peptide bond formation, induction of premature chain termination