Mycobacterial Protein Synthesis Enzyme

Mycobacterial protein synthesis enzymes are essential components of the translational machinery in Mycobacterium species, including the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). These enzymes catalyze key steps in translating genetic information into functional proteins, making them critical for bacterial survival and growth. One well-studied example is phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, which charges tRNA molecules with phenylalanine. These enzymes are attractive targets for new antibiotics because they are essential for bacterial survival and have structural differences from human homologs, allowing selective inhibition. Recent research has also identified toxins like TacT that block mycobacterial protein synthesis, and detoxifying enzymes that reverse these modifications, representing novel vulnerabilities within mycobacteria's proteostasis network. Classic antibiotics such as chloramphenicol and kanamycin inhibit ribosomal activity directly.

Inhibition of protein synthesis