Whither Ribosome Structure and Dynamics Research? (A Perspective)

As high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of ribosomes proliferate, at resolutions that allow atomic interactions to be visualized, this article attempts to give a perspective on the way research on ribosome structure and dynamics may be headed, and particularly the new opportunities we have gained through recent advances in cryo-EM. It is pointed out that single-molecule FRET and cryo-EM form natural complements in the characterization of ribosome dynamics and transitions among equilibrating states of in vitro translational systems.