Transcription–translation coupling: Recent advances and future perspectives

The flow of genetic information from the chromosome to protein in all living organisms consists two steps: (1) copying coded DNA into an mRNA intermediate via transcription by RNA polymerase, followed (2) translation this a polypeptide ribosome. Unlike eukaryotes, where and are separated nuclear envelope, bacterial cells, these processes occur within same compartment. This means that pioneering ribosome starts on nascent is still being actively transcribed polymerase. tethering referred as ‘coupling’ (CTT). CTT raises many questions regarding physical interactions potential mutual regulation between large (ribosome ~2.5 MDa polymerase 0.5 MDa) powerful molecular machines. Accordingly, we will discuss some recently discovered structural functional aspects CTT.