Ribosomes and nucleic acids

Ribosomes and nucleic acids represent fundamental cellular components that serve as critical therapeutic targets across multiple disease areas. Ribosomes are complex ribonucleoprotein machines responsible for protein synthesis (translation), consisting of small and large subunits that coordinate the assembly of amino acids into polypeptide chains [1]. In the context of infectious disease, the bacterial 70S ribosome is a primary target for numerous antibiotic classes, including macrolides, tetracyclines, and aminoglycosides, which exploit structural differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes to achieve selective toxicity [2]. Nucleic acids, comprising deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), are the essential carriers of genetic information and are frequently targeted in oncology [3]. Traditional chemotherapeutic agents, such as cisplatin and doxorubicin, exert their effects by inducing DNA damage or inhibiting replication enzymes, while modern approaches increasingly utilize nucleic acids themselves as therapeutic agents (e.g., mRNA vaccines and antisense oligonucleotides) or target specific RNA structures to modulate gene expression [4, 5].

Other names

Translation machineryGenetic materialRibonucleoprotein complexesPolynucleotides

Inhibition of the 30S or 50S ribosomal subunits to block protein synthesis; DNA intercalation, cross-linking, or antimetabolite interference to disrupt replication and transcription.