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Many antibiotics that bind to the ribosome inhibit translation by blocking the movement of tRNAs and mRNA or interfering with ribosome dynamics, which impairs the formation of essential translocation intermediates. Here we show how translocation inhibitors viomycin (Vio), neomycin (Neo), paromomycin (Par), kanamycin (Kan), spectinomycin (Spc), hygromycin B (HygB), and streptomycin (Str, an antibiotic that does not inhibit tRNA translocation), affect principal motions of the small ribosomal subunits (SSU) during EF-G-promoted translocation. Using ensemble kinetics, we studied the SSU body domain rotation and SSU head domain swiveling in real time. We show that although antibiotics binding to the ribosome can favor a particular ribosome conformation in the absence of EF-G, EF-G-induced transition to the rotated/swiveled state of the SSU is hardly affected. The major effect of the antibiotics is observed at the stage when the SSU body and the head domain move backward. Vio, Spc and high concentrations of Neo completely inhibit the backward movements of the SSU body and head domain. Kan, Par, HygB and low concentrations of Neo slow down both movements, but their sequence and coordination are retained. Finally, Str has very little effect on the backward rotation of the SSU body domain, but retards the SSU head movement. The data underscore the importance of ribosome dynamics for tRNA-mRNA translocation and provide new insights into the mechanism of antibiotic action.

Adjacent transfer RNAs (tRNAs) in the A- and P-sites of the ribosome are in dynamic equilibrium between two different conformations called classical and hybrid states before translocation. Here, we have used single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer to study the effect of Mg(2+) on tRNA dynamics with and without an acetyl group on the A-site tRNA. When the A-site tRNA is not acetylated, tRNA dynamics do not depend on [Mg(2+)], indicating that the relative positions of the substrates for peptide-bond formation are not affected by Mg(2+). In sharp contrast, when the A-site tRNA is acetylated, Mg(2+) lengthens the lifetime of the classical state but does not change the lifetime of the hybrid state. Based on these findings, the classical state resembles a state with direct stabilization of tertiary structure by Mg(2+) ions whereas the hybrid state resembles a state with little Mg(2+)-assisted stabilization. The antibiotic viomycin, a translocation inhibitor, suppresses tRNA dynamics, suggesting that the enhanced fluctuations of tRNAs after peptide-bond formation drive spontaneous attempts at translocation by the ribosome.

Viomycin belongs to the tuberactinomycin family of antibiotics against tuberculosis. However, its inhibition mechanism remains elusive. Although it is clear that viomycin inhibits the ribosome intersubunit ratcheting, there are contradictory reports about whether the antibiotic viomycin stabilizes the tRNA hybrid or classical state. By using a single-molecule FRET method to directly observe the tRNA dynamics relative to ribosomal protein L27, we have found that viomycin trapped the hybrid state within certain ribosome subgroups but did not significantly suppress the tRNA dynamics. The persistent fluctuation of tRNA implied that tRNA motions were decoupled from the ribosome intersubunit ratcheting. Viomycin also promoted peptidyl-tRNA fluctuation in the posttranslocation complex, implying that, in addition to acylated P-site tRNA, the decoding center also played an important role of ribosome locking after translocation. Therefore, viomycin inhibits translocation by trapping the hybrid state in the pretranslocation complex and disturbing the stability of posttranslocation complex. Our results imply that ribosome translocation is possibly a synergistic process of multiple decoupled local dynamics.

AcPhe2-tRNA(Phe) which appears in ribosomes after consecutive binding of AcPhe-tRNA(Phe) at the P sites and EF-Tu-directed binding of Phe-tRNA(Phe) at the A sites is able to react quantitatively with puromycin in the absence of EF-G. One could readily explain this fact to be the consequence of spontaneous translocation. However, a detailed study of kinetics of puromycin reaction carried out with the use of viomycin (inhibitor of translocation) and the P-site test revealed that, apart from spontaneous translocation, this peptidyl-tRNA could react with puromycin being located at the A site. This leads to the conclusion that the transpeptidation reaction triggers conformational changes in the A-site ribosomal complex bringing the 3'-end of a newly synthesized peptidyl-tRNA nearer to the peptidyl site of peptidyltransferase center. This is detected functionally as a highly pronounced ability of such a peptidyl-tRNA to react with puromycin.

EF4, although structurally similar to the translocase EF-G, promotes back-translocation of tRNAs on the ribosome and is important for bacterial growth under certain conditions. Here, using a coordinated set of in vitro kinetic measures, including changes in the puromycin reactivity of peptidyl-tRNA and in the fluorescence of labeled tRNAs and mRNA, we elucidate the kinetic mechanism of EF4-catalyzed back-translocation and determine the effects of the translocation inhibitors spectinomycin and viomycin on the process. EF4-dependent back-translocation proceeds from a post-translocation (POST) complex to a pre-translocation (PRE) complex via a four-step kinetic scheme (i.e., POST → I1 → I2 → I3 → PRE, which is not the simple reverse of translocation). During back-translocation, movements of the tRNA core regions and of mRNA are closely coupled to one another but are sometimes decoupled from movement of the 3′-end of peptidyl-tRNA. EF4 may be thought of as performing an interrupted catalysis of back-translocation, stopping at the formation of I3 rather than catalyzing the complete process of back-translocation culminating in PRE complex formation. The delay in polypeptide elongation resulting from transient accumulation of I3 is likely to be important for optimizing functional protein biosynthesis.

Aminoglycosides Apramycin, gentamycin, hygromycin B, kanamycin, neomycin, paromomycin, tobramycinElongation (translocation) Most aminoglycoside antibiotics induce translational misreading by promoting binding of near-cognate tRNAs, but the biological effect is probably due to inhibition of the translocation reaction and promotion of back-translocation.Edeine Edeine A Initiation (fMet-tRNA binding) Edeine prevents binding of the initiator tRNA to the 30S subunit in an mRNA-dependent manner.GE81112 GE81112 Initiation (fMet-tRNA binding)GE81112 inhibits binding of the initiator tRNA to the 30S subunit in an mRNA-independent manner.Kasugamycin Kasugamycin Initiation (fMet-tRNA binding) Kasugamycin inhibits translation initiation of canonical mRNAs by binding in the path of the mRNA and preventing stable interaction of the initiator tRNA with the start codon. Pactamycin Pactamycin Initiation, elongation (translocation) Early data suggest that pactamycin allows 30S but not 70S initiation complex formation, whereas recently pactamycin was shown to inhibit translocation in a tRNA-mRNA-dependent manner.Spectinomycin Spectinomycin Elongation (translocation) Spectinomycin binds to the neck of the small subunit and prevents the relative movement of the head and body that is needed for the completion of translocation. Streptomycin Streptomycin Elongation (misreading) Streptomycin increases affinity of tRNA for the A site, has a modest inhibitory effect on translocation, promotes back-translocation, and induces high-level translational misreading.Tetracyclines/glycylcyclines Doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline/tigecyclineElongation (tRNA delivery) Tetracyclines prevent stable binding of the EF-Tu-tRNA-GTP ternary complex to the ribosome and inhibit accommodation of A-tRNAs upon EF-Tu-dependent GTP hydrolysis.Viomycin Capreomycin, viomycin Elongation (translocation) Viomycin locks tRNAs in a hybrid-site translocation intermediate state, preventing conversion by EF-G into a posttranslocation state.

During protein synthesis transfer RNA (tRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) translocate through the ribosome in a rapid and stepwise fashion, a process that is catalyzed by the GTPase elongation factor G (EF-G). Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) measurements show that the ribosome complex can spontaneously adopt a key translocation intermediate in the absence of nucleotide hydrolysis. By obtaining smFRET data from multiple structural perspectives, we observe that tRNA and EF-G restructure the ribosome energy landscape, increasing the rate at which this intermediate is achieved. In particular, EF-G binding induces a fast dynamic mode of the L1 stalk, which facilitates rapid and reversible formation of the translocation intermediate. Bulk measurements indicate that the extent of conformational coupling is important in determining the rate of translocation. When the extent of coupling is increased, a faster rate of translocation is achieved. The rate of translocation is decreased when the conformational changes are further decoupled, such as by the addition of the antibiotic viomycin. Thus, the extent of coupling of conformational processes on the ribosome may present a new mechanism for the regulation of gene expression.

Kanamycin and viomycin were found to block a single cycle of translocation on the poly[U]-ribosome, carrying N-acetyl-diPhe-tRNA on the acceptor site and deacylated tRNA at the donor site. The inhibition of translocation was demonstrated by enhanced puromycin-reactivity of N-acetyl-diPhe-tRNA and by release of deacylated tRNA. The GTPase reaction, catalyzed by EF-G and ribosomes, was not significantly affected by the antibotics. The results with kanamycin and viomycin differed from those obtained with fusidic acid, indicating that the mechanism of translocation inhibition may be different. Kanamycin and viomycin seemed to interfere with the translocation by fixing N-acetyl-Phe-tRNA to the acceptor site, but not to the donor site.

AcPhe2-tRNA(Phe) synthesized in 70S ribosomes after consecutive binding of AcPhe-tRNA(Phe) at the P sites and EF-Tu-directed binding of Phe-tRNA(Phe) at the A sites is able to react quantitatively with puromycin in the absence of EF-G. A detailed study of the kinetics of the puromycin reaction, its comparison with that of spontaneous translocation, the use of antibiotic viomycin as an effective inhibitor of spontaneous translocation revealed that, besides spontaneous translocation, this peptidyl-tRNA could react with puromycin being located at the A site. This leads to the conclusion that the transpeptidation reaction per se triggers conformational changes in the ribosomal complex bringing the 3'-end of a newly synthesized peptidyl-tRNA nearer to the peptidyl-site of the peptidyltransferase center. This is detected functionally as the ability of such an A site bound peptidyl-tRNA to react with puromycin. This reaction is highly pronounced at elevated (25 degrees C) temperature but can be hardly detected at 0 degrees C.

The well characterized translocation inhibitor viomycin (=tuberactinomycin B) promotes translational errors (misreading) in an in vitro system from Escherichia coli. It strongly stimulates both the binding of noncognate Tyr-tRNA to poly(U)-programmed ribosomes and the subsequent synthesis of acPhe(Tyr)n-tRNA ( n ⋍20 ). The closely related antibiotics capreomycin and tuberactinomycins A,N and O also inhibit translocation and induce misreading.

EF4, although structurally similar to the translocase EF-G, promotes back-translocation of tRNAs on the ribosome and is important for bacterial growth under certain conditions. Here, using a coordinated set of in vitro kinetic measures, including changes in the puromycin reactivity of peptidyl-tRNA and in the fluorescence of labeled tRNAs and mRNA, we elucidate the kinetic mechanism of EF4-catalyzed back-translocation and determine the effects of the translocation inhibitors spectinomycin and viomycin on the process. EF4-dependent back-translocation proceeds from a post-translocation (POST) complex to a pre-translocation (PRE) complex via a four-step kinetic scheme (i.e., POST → I1 → I2 → I3 → PRE, which is not the simple reverse of translocation). During back-translocation, movements of the tRNA core regions and of mRNA are closely coupled to one another but are sometimes decoupled from movement of the 3′-end of peptidyl-tRNA. EF4 may be thought of as performing an interrupted catalysis of back-translocation, stopping at the formation of I3 rather than catalyzing the complete process of back-translocation culminating in PRE complex formation. The delay in polypeptide elongation resulting from transient accumulation of I3 is likely to be important for optimizing functional protein biosynthesis.

During the elongation cycle of protein synthesis, translocation of tRNAs and mRNA is catalyzed by the GTPase elongation factor G (EF-G) with high precision and speed. Conversion of the GTP to the GDP form of EF-G is considered essential for translocation, but the structural dynamics on the ribosome have not been reported. We used single molecule polarized total internal reflection fluorescence (polTIRF) microscopy to characterize tilting and rotational fluctuations within specific domains of EF-G. When EF-G binds to the ribosomal pre-translocation (PRE) complex, domains I and IV of EF-G undergo small rotations (10-15°) in conjunction with translocation, whereas domain III shows a much greater angular change, averaging 50°. Viomycin (Vio), which prevents translocation, reduces the rotational motions of domain III to 10-15° but has virtually no effect on the other domains. Spectinomycin also reduces domain III motions but less strongly than Vio. EF-G binding to ribosomal initiation complexes lacking A-site tRNA gives a similar pattern of domain rotations, but with shorter dwell times. In this case, the large rotation of domain III is barely inhibited by Vio. Irrespective of completion of translocation or presence of A-site tRNA, the initial 10-15° rotations of EF-G domains I, III and IV in the ribosome/EF-G complex indicate that the EF-G initially shifts the minimum of the free energy profile in the direction of translocation, suggesting that EF-G generates a force on the ribosome and/or the mRNA and tRNAs. Near the end of translocation, domain III completes its rotation either to push the mRNA and tRNAs (a working stroke) or to prevent reversal of translocation driven by thermal fluctuations (a ratchet). Supported by NIH grant GM080376 to YEG and BSC and AHA fellowship 12POST8910014 to CC.