Structural Basis for Polyproline-Mediated Ribosome Stalling and Rescue by the Translation Elongation Factor EF-P.
Huter, P., Arenz, S., Bock, L.V., Graf, M., Frister, J.O., Heuer, A., Peil, L., Starosta, A.L., Wohlgemuth, I., Peske, F., Novacek, J., Berninghausen, O., Grubmuller, H., Tenson, T., Beckmann, R., Rodnina, M.V., Vaiana, A.C., Wilson, D.N.(2017) Mol Cell 68: 515-527.e6
- PubMed: 29100052 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2017.10.014
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
6ENF, 6ENJ, 6ENU - PubMed Abstract: 
Ribosomes synthesizing proteins containing consecutive proline residues become stalled and require rescue via the action of uniquely modified translation elongation factors, EF-P in bacteria, or archaeal/eukaryotic a/eIF5A. To date, no structures exist of EF-P or eIF5A in complex with translating ribosomes stalled at polyproline stretches, and thus structural insight into how EF-P/eIF5A rescue these arrested ribosomes has been lacking. Here we present cryo-EM structures of ribosomes stalled on proline stretches, without and with modified EF-P. The structures suggest that the favored conformation of the polyproline-containing nascent chain is incompatible with the peptide exit tunnel of the ribosome and leads to destabilization of the peptidyl-tRNA. Binding of EF-P stabilizes the P-site tRNA, particularly via interactions between its modification and the CCA end, thereby enforcing an alternative conformation of the polyproline-containing nascent chain, which allows a favorable substrate geometry for peptide bond formation.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Gene Center, Department for Biochemistry and Center for integrated Protein Science Munich (CiPSM), University of Munich, Feodor-Lynenstr. 25, 81377 Munich, Germany.