Bactericidal effect of tetracycline in E. coli strain ED1a may be associated with ribosome dysfunction.

ABSTRACT: Ribosomes translate the genetic code into proteins. Recent technical advances have facilitated in situ structural analyses of ribosome functional states inside eukaryotic cells and the minimal bacterium Mycoplasma. However, such analyses of Gram-negative bacteria are lacking, despite their ribosomes being major antimicrobial drug targets. Here we compare two E. coli strains, a lab E. coli K-12 and human gut isolate E. coli ED1a, for which tetracycline exhibits bacteriostatic and bactericidal action, respectively. Using our approach for close-to-native E. coli sample preparation, we assess the two strains by cryo-ET and visualize their ribosomes at high resolution in situ. Upon tetracycline treatment, these exhibit virtually identical drug binding sites, yet the conformation distribution of

SUBMITTER: Khusainov I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11153495 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature