Molecular biology ribosomal subunit

Once correct positioning occurs, and the match is made between the anticodon of the met-tRNA and the start codon, the GTP molecule bound to eIF-2 is hydrolyzed in a reaction promoted by eIF-5. The physical nature of this reaction remains controversial. There are thought to be two forms of eIF-5 with molecular masses of 125 kDa and 60 kDa without, however, any differences in their biological properties (Hershey, 1991 Merrick, 1992). The hydrolysis of GTP causes the release of the initiation factors from the surface of the 40S ribosomal subunit, and allows attachment of the 60S subunit by triggering the release of eIF-6 from it. The formation of the SOS initiation complex culminates in the formation of the first peptide bond at the ribosomal P site. The initiation factor eIF-4D is required for the formation of the first peptide bond. eIF-4D is a small protein (about 16 kDa), and has a unique posttranslational modification of its lysine-50 residue by the action of a polyamine, spermidine, to form a hypusine residue essential for its activity (Hershey, 1991 Merrick, 1992). Furthermore, in order to allow efficient and catalytic use of eIF-2 after GTP hydrolysis and its release from the complex, another factor, eIF-2B, facilitates the exchange of eIF-2 bound GDP for GTP. 

In this chapter, the molecular-biological mode of action of macrolide antibiotics and the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of resistance to MLS antibiotics are reviewed. Based on a recent X-ray crystallographic study on a 50S ribosomal subunit from Haloarcula marismortui and the finding of intracellular macrolide accumulation, the mode of action from the viewpoint of a new hypothetical concept, deposition binding, and mechanisms of drug resistance in clinically isolated bacteria are discussed. In addition, recent major developments in macrolide antibiotics are briefly described. 

It is widely accepted that MLS antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis by binding to closely related sites on the 508 subunit of the 70S ribosome of bacteria [4], despite being structurally different from each other (see Figs. 1 and 2 in a later section). That is the reason why, when inducible resistant Staphylococcus aureus cells are exposed to a low concentration of the drug (0.05 tg erythromycin/ml - 6.8 x 10 M), they show resistance against not only erythromycin but also other macrolide antibiotics as well as lincosamide and type B streptogramin antibiotics. Erythromycin has been widely used and has been the object of extensive molecular and biological studies. 

Cohen, B.L., Gawthrop, A.B., and Cavalier-Smith, T. (1998) Molecular phylogeny of brachiopods and phoronids based on nuclear-encoded small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society London B, 353, 2039-2061. Freeman, G. (1993) Regional specification during embryogenesis in the articulate brachiopod Terebratalia. Developmental Biology, 160,196-213. 

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