The origins and evolution of translation factors.

Translation is an ancient molecular information processing system found in all living organisms. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in uncovering the origins of early translation. Yet, the evolution of translation factors - key regulators of protein synthesis - remains poorly understood. This review synthesizes recent findings on translation factors, highlighting their structural diversity, evolutionary history, and organism-specific adaptations across the tree of life. We examine conserved translation factors, their coevolution, and their roles in different steps in translation: initiation, elongation, and termination. The early evolution of translation factors serves as a natural link between modern genetics and the origins of life. Traditionally rooted in chemistry and geology, incorporating evolutionary molecular biology into the studies of life's emergence provides a complementary perspective on this complex question.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Trends in Genetics

• Publication date

  2025-03-01

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/j.tig.2025.02.004PMID 40133153PMCID PMC12237606
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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