Translation initiation by the Kozak mRNA sequence is based on a conformational readout on the ribosome
The cryo-EM structures of human 48S preinitiation complexes with mRNA point mutations reveal a fan-like intercalation of the pre-codon triplet into the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), while the -3 purine as opposed to the pyrimidine in the non-Kozak context favours stabilization of the ternary complex between initiation fact...