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News From the Field

Scientists Ratchet up Understanding of Cellular Protein Factory


December 1, 2010

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NSF-supported biological physics helped create new models to understand exactly how cells manufacture new chains of protein molecules.  Previously, researchers thought that cellular machinery used a 'ratchet-like' motion to move from one subunit to another in a chain.  New evidence suggests this movement is a 'head swivel', much like a person shaking her head 'no'.Full Story

Source
Los Alamos National Laboratory

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