Ada E. Yonath

Towards Control of Species-Specific Antibiotic Resistance

Tuesday, 1 July 2014
10:30 - 11:00 CEST

Abstract

Ribosomes, the universal cellular nan-machines that translate the genetic code into proteins, are targeted by many antibiotics that paralyze them by binding to their functional sites. The three-dimensional structures of complexes of ribosomes from genuine pathogens and pathogen-model with ribosomal antibiotics revealed their binding modes, inhibitory actions and synergism pathways. They also indicated the principles of differentiation between patients and pathogens, suggested the species-specific mechanisms leading to bacterial resistance, and paved the way towards improvement of existing antibiotics, as well as towards the design of advanced therapeutics capable of minimizing antibiotic resistance.

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