Transient erythromycin resistance phenotype associated with peptidyl-tRNA drop-off on early UGG and GGG codons
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Expression of minigenes encoding tetra- or pentapeptides MXLX or MXLXV (E peptides), where X is a nonpolar amino acid, renders cells erythromycin resistant whereas expression of minigenes encoding tripeptide MXL does not. By using a 3A' reporter gene system beginning with an E-peptide-encoding sequence, we asked whether the codons UGG and GGG, which are known to promote peptidyl-tRNA drop-off at early positions in mRNA, would result in a phenotype of erythromycin resistance if located after this sequence. We find that UGG or GGG, at either position +4 or +5, without a following stop codon, is associated with an erythromycin resistance phenotype upon gene induction. Our results suggest that, while a stop codon at +4 gives a tripeptide product (MIL) and erythromycin sensitivity, UGG or GGG codons at the same position give a tetrapeptide product (MILW or MILG) and phenotype of erythromycin resistance. Thus, the drop-off event on GGG or UGG codons occurs after incorporation of the corresponding amino acid into the growing peptide chain. Drop-off gives rise to a peptidyl-tRNA where the peptide moiety functionally mimics a minigene peptide product of the type previously associated with erythromycin resistance. Several genes in Escherichia coli fulfill the requirements of high mRNA expression and an E-peptide sequence followed by UGG or GGG at position +4 or +5 and should potentially be able to give an erythromycin resistance phenotype.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Journal of Bacteriology |
Volume | 189 |
Issue number | 24 |
Pages (from-to) | 8993 |
Number of pages | 8 |
ISSN | 1098-5530 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2007 |
- Anti-Bacterial Agents, Codon, Drug Resistance, Bacterial, Erythromycin, Escherichia coli, Genes, Reporter, Oligopeptides, Protein Biosynthesis, RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl, Staphylococcal Protein A
Research areas
ID: 32642001