New view of 'frameshifting' shows how genetic info can get 'lost in translation'

Christine Dunham is a leading expert on the ribosome—an elaborate macro-molecular machine that operates like a factory within a cell to manufacture proteins. "The ribosome is really the most fascinating molecule in a cell," says Dunham, Emory Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Chemistry. "It's the hub of every activity. If you're not making proteins, you're not able to grow, function, or communicate."