title: A crevice adjoining the ribosome tunnel: hints for cotranslational folding.
abstract: RNA protection experiments and the crystal structure of a complex of the large ribosomal subunit from the eubacterium Deinococcus radiodurans with rapamycin, a polyketide compound resembling macrolides and ketolides, showed that rapamycin binds to a crevice located at the boundaries of the nascent protein exit tunnel, near its entrance. At this location rapamycin cannot occlude the ribosome exit tunnel, consistent with its failure to act as a ribosomal antibiotic drug. In accord with recent biochemical data, this crevice may play a role in facilitating local cotranslational folding of nascent chains, in particular for transmembrane proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, The Weizmann Institute, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amit
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berisio
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baram
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bashan
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yonath
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D034301:Deinococcus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D017510:Protein Folding; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; D020123:Sirolimus