3. Antibiotics often target the gene expression machinery of the bacteria they t

Question

3. Antibiotics often target the gene expression machinery of the bacteria they target. Antibiotics have been useful in elucidating the steps of protein synthesis. If you have an artificial messenger RNA with the sequence: 5’ AUGUUUUUUUUUUUU…3’, it will produce the following polypeptide in a cell-free, protein-synthesizing system:

fMet-Phe-Phe-Phe-Phe

In your search for new antibiotics you find one called putyermycin, which blocks protein synthesis. When you try it with your artificial mRNA in a cell-free system, the product is fMet-Phe. What step in translation elongation does putyermycin affect? Explain your answer.

Explanation / Answer

Putmycin is allowing peptide bond formation between fMet and Phe. But the next bond is not formed. So,

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