Context-specific inhibition of translation by ribosomal antibiotics targeting the peptidyl transferase center

We report the context-specific activity of two peptidyl transferase targeting antibiotics, chloramphenicol and linezolid. By generating ribosome profiling data in the presence or absence of either chloramphenicol or linezolid we mapped the relative change of ribosome density induced by these antibiotics. We find that both inhibitors preferentially arrest ribosomes that carry either an alanine, serine, or threonine in the penultimate (-1) position of the nascent peptide chain. Additionally ribosomes that carry a glycine in either the P site (0) or A-site (+1) counteract the inhibitory activity of both inhibitors. The context-specific action of chloramphenicol illuminates the operation of the mechanism of inducible resistance that relies on programmed drug-induced translation arrest. In addition, our findings expose the functional interplay between the nascent chain and the peptidyl transferase center. Ribosome profiling was performed on BWDK (-tolC) cells treated with a high concentration of either inhibitor and compared to a no antibiotic control.