Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1973 Dec;70(12):3866-9.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.12.3866.

Mechanism of puromycin action: fate of ribosomes after release of nascent protein chains from polysomes

M E Azzam, I D Algranati

Mechanism of puromycin action: fate of ribosomes after release of nascent protein chains from polysomes

M E Azzam et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Dec.

Abstract

The exchange of ribosomal subunits during the release of growing polypeptide chains by puromycin has been investigated in a bacterial cell-free system engaged in protein synthesis. The addition of spermidine, used as a stabilizing agent of 70S monomers, caused a strong inhibition of the subunit exchange. This result led us to conclude that upon premature release of unfinished protein chains by the antibiotic, the ribosomes fall off mRNA as 70S particles. This behavior is different from that occurring during physiological termination of translation, where the ribosomes detach in a dissociated form. Some implications of the postulated mechanism are also discussed.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. J Biol Chem. 1962 Feb;237:477-81 - PubMed
    1. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1969;34:209-20 - PubMed
    1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Apr;51:585-92 - PubMed
    1. J Biol Chem. 1972 Jul 25;247(14):4669-78 - PubMed
    1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1959 Dec;45(12):1721-9 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources