Nobel Chemistry prize for ribosome research
Ada Yonath was one of three scientists to be awarded the prize
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By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Wednesday, 07, Oct 2009 11:35
By Richard James.
The Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded to three scientists for their work in advancing studies on the structure of ribsomes.
Americans Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A Steitz and Israeli Ada Yonath were awarded the prestigious prize on Wednesday.
This year's chemistry prize was awarded for studies into "one of life's core processes: the ribosome's translation of DNA information into life".
Ribosomes produce proteins, which in turn control the chemistry in all living organisms. As ribosomes are crucial to life, they are also a major target for new antibiotics, scientists claim.
The three recipients of the prize were recognised for their work in showing what the ribosome looks like and how it functions at the atomic level.
All three have used a method called X-ray crystallography to map the position for each and every one of the hundreds of thousands of atoms that make up the ribosome.
A statement from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said: "Inside every cell in all organisms, there are DNA molecules.
"They contain the blueprints for how a human being, a plant or a bacterium, looks and functions. But the DNA molecule is passive. If there was nothing else, there would be no life.
"An understanding of the ribosome's innermost workings is important for a scientific understanding of life."
The 3D models developed by this year's three Laureates all show how different antibiotics bind to the ribosome.
These models are now being used by scientists in order to develop new antibiotics, which in turn have a direct impact on saving lives, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences declared.