Primary Citation of Related Structures:   7OTC, 7UG7
PubMed Abstract: 
Argyrins are a family of naturally produced octapeptides that display promising antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Argyrin B (ArgB) has been shown to interact with an elongated form of the translation elongation factor G (EF-G), leading to the suggestion that argyrins inhibit protein synthesis by interfering with EF-G binding to the ribosome. Here, using a combination of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET), we demonstrate that rather than interfering with ribosome binding, ArgB rapidly and specifically binds EF-G on the ribosome to inhibit intermediate steps of the translocation mechanism. Our data support that ArgB inhibits conformational changes within EF-G after GTP hydrolysis required for translocation and factor dissociation, analogous to the mechanism of fusidic acid, a chemically distinct antibiotic that binds a different region of EF-G. These findings shed light on the mechanism of action of the argyrin-class antibiotics on protein synthesis as well as the nature and importance of rate-limiting, intramolecular conformational events within the EF-G-bound ribosome during late-steps of translocation.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
IB [auth 16] JB [auth 16] JE [auth 23] KE [auth 23] LE [auth 23]
IB [auth 16], JB [auth 16], JE [auth 23], KE [auth 23], LE [auth 23], ME [auth 23], NE [auth 23], OE [auth 23], PE [auth 23], QE [auth 23], RE [auth 23]