Elements of ribosomal drug resistance and specificity

The structures of ribosomes in complex with inhibitors of translation have not only shed light on the interactions of antibiotics with the ribosome but also on the underlying mechanisms by which they interfere with the ribosome function. Several recent papers [0005, 0010, 0015 and 0020] have correlated the available ribosome structures with the wealth of biochemical data [5•]. In this review we shall focus on the lessons learned for drug specificity rather than presenting a comprehensive survey of the known structures of ribosome complexes with antibiotics. ⺠Correlation between antibiotic specificity and observed structural differences. ⺠Mitochondrial and eubacterial ribosomes respond differently to the same antibiotics. ⺠Selectively targeting eubacterial over mitochondrial ribosomes can minimize drug side effects.