SmpB as the handyman of tmRNA during trans-translation.

In the recent years, a wealth of genetic, biochemical and structural data focusing on various steps of bacterial trans-translation was reported. The early events, from stalled ribosome recognition, pre-accommodation to translocation have been recently investigated in great details. In comparison, the later events including 'elongation-termination' onto tmRNA reading frame and ribosome recycling are much less known. What follows is a summary of those data together with our personal view of the dynamics of trans-translation, with emphasis to the pivotal and leading roles that the SmpB protein has, being the essential conductor during the whole process.