Chapter VIII 



Protein Synthesis in Relation 

 to Gene Action^ 



RICHARD SCHWEET and JOHN BISHOP 



Department of Biochemistry , 



University of Kentucky College oj Medicine, 



Lexington, Kentucky 



I. Introduction 353 



II. Formation of Amino Acyl-RNA Compounds 355 



A. Amino Acid-Activating Enzymes 355 



B. Transfer RNA 356 



C. Specificity of Amino Acyl-RNA Formation 358 



III. Steps Requiring Participation of the Ribosome 362 



A. Transfer of Amino Acids from Amino Acyl-RNA to Ribosomes . . 363 



B. Formation of the Peptide Chain 373 



IV. Information Transfer in Protein Synthesis 380 



A. Information Transfer in Bacterial Protein Synthesis 381 



B. Information Transfer in Nucleated Organisms 395 



References 400 



I. Introduction 



The past ten years have seen remarkable advances in understanding 

 the mechanism of synthesis of the major macromolecules of the cell. It 

 appears likely that the major pathways for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, 

 and protein are under study. Some biochemists may consider this view- 

 point to be unduly optimistic. Certainly, a vast amount of uncertainty 

 remains. Many new reactions and mechanisms will be discovered. These 

 latter statements are perhaps more true for the field of protein synthesis 

 than DNA and RNA synthesis, despite the great amount of research 

 effort expended in this field. Even for proteins, the main outlines of a 

 major synthetic pathway are apparent. It seems appropriate, therefore, 

 to attempt to summarize the important steps which have laid the founda- 

 tions for the present state of knowledge. 



The comprehensive review by Borsook in 1952 summarized the avail- 

 able information of that date. Among the important earlier advances 

 recognized are the dynamic state of proteins and the energetic require- 



^The studies reported here were supported bj^ Grant H-5293 from the United 

 States Public Health Service and Grant G-11400 from the National Science 

 Foundation. 



353 



