Ribosome Assembly As Antimicrobial Target
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
antibiotics Article Ribosome Assembly as Antimicrobial Target Rainer Nikolay 1,*,†, Sabine Schmidt 2,†, Renate Schlömer 2, Elke Deuerling 2,* and Knud H. Nierhaus 1 1 Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] 2 Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78457, Germany; [email protected] (S.S.); [email protected] (R.S.) * Correspondence: [email protected] (R.N.); [email protected] (E.D.); Tel.: +49-30-450-524165 (R.N.); +49-7531-88-2647 (E.D.) † These authors contributed equally to this work. Academic Editor: Claudio O. Gualerzi Received: 31 March 2016; Accepted: 16 May 2016; Published: 27 May 2016 Abstract: Many antibiotics target the ribosome and interfere with its translation cycle. Since translation is the source of all cellular proteins including ribosomal proteins, protein synthesis and ribosome assembly are interdependent. As a consequence, the activity of translation inhibitors might indirectly cause defective ribosome assembly. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between direct and indirect effects, and because assembly is probably a target in its own right, concepts are needed to identify small molecules that directly inhibit ribosome assembly. Here, we summarize the basic facts of ribosome targeting antibiotics. Furthermore, we present an in vivo screening strategy that focuses on ribosome assembly by a direct fluorescence based read-out that aims to identify and characterize small molecules acting as primary assembly inhibitors. Keywords: protein synthesis as preferential target of antibiotics; ribosome as antibiotic target; inhibitors of ribosome assembly; concepts for identifying assembly inhibitors 1. Introduction Most antibiotics are microbial secondary metabolites mainly produced by actinomycetes. The production is usually induced by unfavorable growth conditions, when the producer has turned into the stationary or sporulation phase and its own metabolic activity is sharply reduced. Under these conditions, antibiotics will block the growth of better adapted competitors and thus prevent a further impairment of life conditions (for review, see [1]). Antibiotics therefore improve the survival chance of the producer, which represents the selective force for the natural development of antibiotics. Under these restricted conditions, synthesis of nucleic acids and protein synthesis is strongly reduced in the producer cell, which explains that, in many cases, the producer is not resistant against its own product. Antibiotics are chemically extremely diverse. The synthesis by microorganisms and a molecular weight less than 1000 Da are the only common features [2]. Nowadays, the term antimicrobials (short for antimicrobial substances) is used, which includes both natural products (antibiotics) and semi-synthetic or full-synthetic substances (chemotherapeutics). In addition to the wide chemical spectrum, the target spectrum is also enormous: More than 160 cellular targets have been described [3]. Examples are replication (e.g., nalidixic acid), transcription (e.g., rifamycin), translation (e.g., chloramphenicol) and the synthesis of the cell wall (e.g., penicillin). Most of the antibiotics inhibit the translating ribosome because, due to its complicated structure, it offers many interference points. The Escherichia coli ribosome contains 57 different components, 54 proteins and three ribosomal RNAs [4], and all of them are present in one copy per ribosome except the protein bL12, which is Antibiotics 2016, 5, 18; doi:10.3390/antibiotics5020018 www.mdpi.com/journal/antibiotics Antibiotics 2016, 5, 18 2 of 13 presentAntibiotics in four 2016 copies., 5, 18 Nevertheless, the binding sites of the antibiotics are concentrated at and2 of around 13 functional hot spots of the small 30S and the large 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome (Figure1a,b). copies. Nevertheless, the binding sites of the antibiotics are concentrated at and around functional These sites are often dominated or exclusively built by elements of the rRNA (ribosomal RNA), and, hot spots of the small 30S and the large 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome (Figure 1a,b). These sites importantly,are often dominated the multiplicity or exclusively of rrn operons built by presentelements in of most the rRNA bacterial (ribosomal species RNA), aggravates and, importantly, development of resistancethe multiplicity [5]. Mutations of rrn operons in onlypresent one in genemost bacterial have low specie impacts aggravates and multiple development mutations of resistance are of low probability[5]. Mutations [6]. in only one gene have low impact and multiple mutations are of low probability [6]. FigureFigure 1. Antibiotic1. Antibiotic target target sites sites of of bacterial bacterial ribosomes.ribosomes. (a (a) )a afew few antibiotic antibiotic target target sites sites on onthe the30S 30S subunitsubunit mentioned mentioned in thein the text. text. Tet, Tet, tetracycline; tetracycline; Neo,Neo, neomycin, Str, Str, streptomycin; streptomycin; (b) ( bsome) some antibiotic antibiotic target sites on the 50S subunit. Cam, chloramphenicol; Lin, lincomycin. (from [7], modified, courtesy target sites on the 50S subunit. Cam, chloramphenicol; Lin, lincomycin. (from [7], modified, courtesy of Daniel N. Wilson, Munich Gene Center). of Daniel N. Wilson, Munich Gene Center). Most of the natural antibiotics inhibit the peptidyltransferase center (PTC) on the 50S subunit (FigureMost of 1a; the [8-10]). natural Reasons antibiotics for the inhibitprevalence the of peptidyltransferase the PTC as antibiotic center target (PTC)are (i) the on high the 50S number subunit (Figureof crevices1a; [ 8–10 allowing]). Reasons binding for theof small prevalence molecules of the with PTC high as affinity; antibiotic (ii) targetthe fact are that (i) the PTC high needs number a of creviceshigh allowingamount of binding structural of small flexibility molecules and any with interference high affinity; by drug (ii) the binding fact that or mutations the PTC needs causing a high amountresistance of structural might hamper flexibility the andspeed any and/or interference accuracy byof translation, drug binding which ormutations leads to the causing final outcome resistance mightthat hamper any rescuing the speed mutations and/or within accuracy the PTC of are translation, associated whichwith high leads fitness to the costs final [10]. outcome that any The most common target site of the 30S subunit is the decoding center of the A site, where the rescuing mutations within the PTC are associated with high fitness costs [10]. large group of aminoglycosides interferes with the fidelity of aminoacyl-tRNA(aa-tRNA)·EF-Tu·GTP The most common target site of the 30S subunit is the decoding center of the A site, where the selection (Figure 1b). Examples of binding sites on the 30S part of the A site outside the decoding center large group of aminoglycosides interferes with the fidelity of aminoacyl-tRNA(aa-tRNA)¨ EF-Tu¨ GTP are the tetracyclines, which block stable binding of aa-tRNAs to the A site. The sketch of the ribosomal selectionfunctions (Figure in Figure1b). Examples 2 summarizes of binding the interference sites on points the 30S of partthe various of the Agroups site outside of antibiotics the decoding with centerribosomal are the functions. tetracyclines, Some antibiotics which block act directly stable on binding translational of aa-tRNAs G-proteins. to theOne Aexample site. The is kirromycin, sketch of the ribosomalwhich functionsbinds to the in elongation Figure2 summarizes factor EF-Tu·GTP the interference and blocks points its switch of the into various the GDP groups conformer of antibiotics after withdelivery ribosomal of the functions. aa-tRNA Someto the antibioticsA site. The result act directly is that onEF-Tu translational remains on G-proteins. the ribosome One and examplethus is kirromycin,blocks protein which synthesis. binds Another to the elongation example is fusidic factor acid EF-Tu (FA)¨ GTP acting and on blocks the second its switch elongation into factor the GDP conformerG (EF-G). after EF-G delivery is responsible of the aa-tRNA for the translocation to the A site. of Theribosomes result isto thatthe next EF-Tu codon remains of the on mRNA the ribosome after anda thus decoding blocks step. protein FA also synthesis. blocks the Another conformational example isswitch fusidic into acid the (FA)GDP actingconformer on the of secondEF-G, which elongation is factornecessary G (EF-G). for EF-Gthe dissociation is responsible of this for factor the translocation after it has fulfilled of ribosomes its ribosomal to the function. next codon of the mRNA after a decoding step. FA also blocks the conformational switch into the GDP conformer of EF-G, which is necessary for the dissociation of this factor after it has fulfilled its ribosomal function. Antibiotics 2016, 5, 18 3 of 13 Antibiotics 2016, 5, 18 3 of 13 Kir, Str Tet Ksg Ede Cam Pmn 70S-scanning 50S initiation Ery, Tel FA FA Neo HygB Cam Ths Pmn Vio Figure 2. Overview of some antibiotics interfering with ribosomal functions. Kir, kirromycin; Str, Figure 2. Overview of some antibiotics interfering with ribosomal functions. Kir, kirromycin; Str, streptomycin, tet, tetracycline; Cam, chloramphenicol; Pmn, puromycin; FA, fusidic acid; Neo, streptomycin, tet, tetracycline; Cam, chloramphenicol; Pmn, puromycin; FA, fusidic acid; Neo, neomycin, HygB, hygromycin B; Ths, thiostrepton; Vio, viomycin;