Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41935065›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Mechanisms of human mitochondrial leaderless mRNA translation initiation.

Shuangjie Shen, Yinghua Xu, Daniel L Kober, Jinfan Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Shuangjie ShenDepartment of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-1542-511X
Yinghua XuDepartment of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Daniel L KoberDepartment of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8657-9348
Jinfan WangDepartment of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. jinfan.wang@utsouthwestern.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4170-9289

Funding

Structural and mechanistic basis for the maturation of site-one protease in the secretory pathwayR01GM155152 · NIGMS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI Daniel Luke Kober · 2024 to 2026
$1.0M
The mechanistic basis for targeted protein degradation in lipid metabolismR00GM141261 · NIGMS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI KOBER, DANIEL LUKE · 2023 to 2025
$747k
NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM155152University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) Endowed Scholars FundU.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) R00GM141261U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) R01GM155152Welch Foundation I-2218-20240404Welch Foundation I-2246-20250403
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mitochondrial translation is essential for cellular function, and its dysregulation is associated with mitochondrial disorders and cancer. However, the mechanisms by which human mitochondrial ribosomes initiate translation remain poorly understood, particularly because mitochondrial mRNAs generally lack the 5' untranslated regions that guide translation initiation in bacterial and cytoplasmic systems. Using real-time single-molecule fluorescence measurements, biochemical assays, and cryo-EM analysis, we show that human mitochondrial translation initiation occurs through two parallel pathways. In one pathway, leaderless mRNA first loads onto the 28S small subunit, followed by recruitment of the 39S large subunit to form the 55S initiation complex. In the second pathway, a preassembled 55S monosome directly loads onto leaderless mRNA. Both pathways require recruitment of mtIF2 and fMet-tRNA

Indexed as

MitochondriaMitochondrial RibosomesPeptide Chain Initiation, TranslationalRNA, MessengerRNA, Mitochondrial5' Untranslated RegionsCryoelectron MicroscopyHumansMitochondrial ProteinsProtein BiosynthesisRNA, Transfer, Met5' Untranslated RegionsMitochondrial ProteinsRNA, MessengerRNA, MitochondrialRNA, Transfer, MettRNA, formylmethionine-

Identifiers

PMID41935065
PMCPMC13230965

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.