Minority Pre Doctoral Fellowship Program

描述（由申请人提供）：这项工作旨在探索许多抑制细菌核糖体翻译功能的抗生素也阻止其在微生物细胞中的组装。这些抗生素与核糖体亚基中的核糖体RNA序列相互作用。研究将着眼于不同抗生素与核糖体RNA和亚基前体的直接结合，以探索组装抑制的机制。药物对颗粒合成所需的rRNA构象变化的抑制作用也将被探索。这项工作将有助于确定作为抗菌剂靶点的核糖体结构的特征，并将为设计更有效的抗生素提供所需的信息。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This work is intended to explore the observation that many antibiotics which inhibit the translational functions of the bacterial ribosome also prevent its assembly in microbial cells. These antibiotics interact with sequences in the ribosomal RNA in the ribosomal subunits. Studies will be conducted to look at the direct binding of different antibiotics to ribosomal RNA and to subunit precursors in order to explore the mechanism of assembly inhibition. Inhibitory effects of the drugs on the conformational changes in rRNA needed for particle synthesis will also be explored. This work will help define the features of the ribosome structure as a target for antimicrobial agents and will provide information needed for the design of more effective antibiotics.