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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Ribosomes synthesizing proteins containing consecutive proline residues become stalled and require rescue via the action of uniquely modified translation elongation factors, EF-P in bacteria, or archaeal/eukaryotic a/eIF5A. To date, no structures exist of EF-P or eIF5A in complex with translating ribosomes stalled at polyproline stretches, and thus structural insight into how EF-P/eIF5A rescue these arrested ribosomes has been lacking. Here we present cryo-EM structures of ribosomes stalled on proline stretches, without and with modified EF-P. The structures suggest that the favored conformation of the polyproline-containing nascent chain is incompatible with the peptide exit tunnel of the ribosome and leads to destabilization of the peptidyl-tRNA. Binding of EF-P stabilizes the P-site tRNA, particularly via interactions between its modification and the CCA end, thereby enforcing an alternative conformation of the polyproline-containing nascent chain, which allows a favorable substrate geometry for peptide bond formation.

Structural Basis for Polyproline-Mediated Ribosome Stalling and Rescue by the Translation Elongation Factor EF-P.,Huter P, Arenz S, Bock LV, Graf M, Frister JO, Heuer A, Peil L, Starosta AL, Wohlgemuth I, Peske F, Novacek J, Berninghausen O, Grubmuller H, Tenson T, Beckmann R, Rodnina MV, Vaiana AC, Wilson DN Mol Cell. 2017 Nov 2;68(3):515-527.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.10.014. PMID:29100052^[2]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.