Translation Throttled by tRNA Demethylation Enzyme

Deep in the protein translation machinery are cogs known as transfer RNAs, or tRNAs. Actually, they may be more than mere cogs, say scientists at the University of Chicago. Like other components of the cell’s protein translation machinery, tRNAs may play an important regulatory role. At least one tRNA, the scientists have discovered, can globally increase or decrease protein synthesis, depending on whether or not it has been demethylated by an enzyme. Now the scientists are eager to explor