Eukaryote-specific extensions in ribosomal proteins of the small subunit: Structure and function

High-resolution structures of yeast ribosomes have improved our understanding of the architecture and organization of eukaryotic rRNA and proteins, as well as eukaryote-specific extensions present in some conserved ribosomal proteins. Despite this progress, assignment of specific functions to individual proteins and/or eukaryote-specific protein extensions remains challenging. It has been suggested that eukaryote-specific extensions of conserved proteins from the small ribosomal subunit may facilitate eukaryote-specific reactions in the initiation phase of protein synthesis. This review summarizes emerging data describing the structural and functional significance of eukaryote-specific extensions of conserved small ribosomal subunit proteins, particularly their possible roles in recruitment and spatial organization of eukaryote-specific initiation factors.