Antibiotics and the ribosome.
The ribosome is one of the main antibiotic targets in the cell. Recent years brought important insights into the mode of interaction of antibiotics with the ribosome and mechanisms of antibiotic action. Ribosome crystallography provided a detailed view of the interactions between antibiotics and rRNA. Advances in biochemical techniques let us better understand how the binding of small organic molecules can interfere with functions of an enzyme four orders of magnitude larger than the inhibitor. These and other achievements paved the way for the development of new ribosome-targeting antibiotics, some of which have already entered medical practice. The recent progress, problems and new directions of research of ribosome-targeting antibiotics are discussed in this review.
Tenson
Tanel
T
Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Estonia. ttenson@ebc.ee
Mankin
Alexander
A
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors