The structure of the yeast mitochondrial ribosome

Abstract

The yeast mitoribosome Mitochondria are eukaryotic organelles that produce ATP, the energy source of the cell. They have dedicated ribosomes (mitoribosomes) that encode some of the membrane proteins that are essential to ATP production. Desai et al. present a high-resolution structure of the 75-component yeast mitoribosome, determined by electron cryomicroscopy. Mitoribosomes share an ancestor with modern bacterial ribosomes. Comparing the structure of the yeast mitoribosome with mammalian mitoribosomes suggests how they have evolved differently to perform species-specific functions. Science , this issue p. 528