New toolbox aids in characterizing internal ribosomal entry sites in cells

Only recently has the ribosome—one of the oldest molecular machines in evolutionary terms—been recognized as an active regulator of gene expression at the level of protein biosynthesis. This is an important process for the development and function of cells, in which genetic information is converted into proteins. The final step, in which the information encoded on the messenger RNA (mRNA) is transferred, is known as translation.