For the first time, scientists discovered that the building blocks of a protein can be gathered by another protein and without genetic instructions, contrary to what science textbooks stating DNA spells out the instructions for making proteins

To start the new study, they fine-tuned a technique called cryo-electron microscopy to flash freeze, and then visualse, the quality control machinery in cells in action.

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They found a protein called Rqc2 that plays a role similar to that of mRNA and identifying which amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, to be added in cell mechanism, according to Adam Frost, assistant professor at University of California, San Francisco

"This surprising discovery reflects how incomplete our understanding of biology is," said first author Peter Shen, a postdoctoral fellow in biochemistry at the University of Utah.

To put the new finding into point of view, it might help to think of the cell as a well-run factory, researchers said.

They described ribosomes as machines on a protein assembly line that links together the amino acids in an order specified by the genetic code.

If something wrong occurs, the ribosome can stall, and a quality control crew is called to the site. To fix the mess, the ribosome is disassembled, the blueprint is discarded, and the partly made protein is recycled, researchers said.

Scientists added that their findings have implications for new therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Huntington's.

New findings published in the journal Science.

TagsProteins, DNA, mRNA, new protein Rqc2, Rqc2, amino acids, building blocks of proteins, cell mechanism, Cells, Biology, ribosomes, Alzheimer, als, genes, genetic codes