Initiation is the rate-limiting step of translation and is an important regulatory step in gene expression. Translation initiation requires ribosome recognition of the mRNA s start codon followed by formation of a stable ternary complex involving initiator tRNA. Studies have shown specific contacts between a AUG start codon and several ribosomal proteins (r-proteins). We employed short-leadered mRNAs in order to further characterize the path of an mRNA s 5 -AUG from initial association with the ribosome... Mehr