Week 2: Lesson 4,5,6 Protein synthesis inhibitors

A number of antibiotics exert their antimicrobial effects by targeting the bacterial ribosome, which has components that differ structurally from those of the mammalian cytoplasmic ribosome. In general, the bacterial ribosome is smaller (70S) than the mammalian ribosome (80S) and is composed of 50S and 30S subunits (as compared to 60S and 40S subunits). The mammalian mitochondrial ribosome, however, more closely resembles the bacterial ribosome. Thus, although drugs that interact with the bacterial target usually spare the host cells, high levels of drugs such as chloramphenicol or the tetracyclines may cause toxic effects as a result of interaction with the host mitochondrial ribosomes. Figure 32.1 lists the drugs discussed in this chapter.

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