The structural formulas for a few antibiotics that target the ribosome are shown below. Which one do you think is that of puromycin? Hint: puromycin mimics the structure of an amino acid linked to a tRNA molecule.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Part of the antibiotic puromycin has a striking resemblance to the 3' end of an aminoacyl-tRNA. As a result, the ribosome mistakes it for an authentic amino acid substrate and covalently incorporates it into the growing polypeptide chain, thus causing premature termination.

The Structural Formulas for a Few Antibiotics That Target the Ribosome