title: Initiation of protein synthesis: a target for antimicrobials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Translation initiation is a basic and universal biological process that employs significantly different components and displays substantially different mechanisms in bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic cells. A large amount of detailed mechanistic and structural information on the bacterial translation initiation apparatus has been uncovered in recent years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to understand which translation initiation steps could represent a novel or underexploited target for the discovery of new and specific antibacterial drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brief descriptions of the properties and mechanism of action of the major antibiotics that have a documented direct inhibitory effect on bacterial translation initiation are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considerations and predictions concerning a future scenario for research and identification of bacterial translation initiation inhibitors are presented.
authors.affiliation: Insubrias BioPark, Gerenzano (VA), Italy.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brandi
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabbretti
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Pon
authors.forename: Albert E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Dahlberg
authors.forename: Claudio O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Gualerzi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D010442:Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors