Ribosomecentric

Ribosomecentric is a term used in molecular biology and systems biology to describe a research and analytic stance that treats ribosomes and the translational apparatus as central determinants of gene expression. In a ribosomecentric view, the ribosome is not only the molecular motor that decodes mRNA but also an active regulatory hub whose composition, modification state, and interaction with ribosome-associated factors influence translation efficiency, selectivity, and proteome composition.

Scope and components: This perspective covers ribosome biogenesis, structural and compositional heterogeneity of ribosomes, and the influence of ribosomal RNA and ribosomal proteins on translational output. It also encompasses translation initiation, elongation, termination, and co-translational processes such as folding, targeting, and quality control.

Evidence and methods: Techniques such as ribosome profiling (Ribo-Seq), quantitative proteomics of ribosomal components, and high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy underpin a ribosomecentric approach, revealing variation in ribosome occupancy, pausing, and the existence of specialized ribosomes under different conditions.

Implications and applications: A ribosomecentric framework informs understanding of development, stress responses, and diseases linked to dysregulated translation, including ribosomopathies. It can guide drug discovery targeting ribosome function or ribosome-associated pathways, as well as efforts to map how translational control shapes cellular phenotypes.

Limitations: Critics caution that focusing on ribosomes may underemphasize transcriptional control, mRNA biology, and broader cellular context; translation regulation is multifactorial, and ribosome-centric models should be integrated with wider regulatory networks.