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M.C. Ganoza, H. Aoki
Peptide Bond Synthesis: Function of the efp Gene Product
The efp gene encodes a protein that is essential for the growth and for the viability of Escherichia coli cells. Interruption of this gene results in cell death due to a defect in protein synthesis. We report here that the EFP protein, encoded by the efp gene, is required for in vitro reconstitution of polypeptide synthesis in a system programmed by a native template which contains each of the purified initiation factors, IF1, IF2, IF3; the elongation factors, EFTu, EFTs and EFG, and a protein called W that is required to eject tRNAs from ribosomes. The EFP protein is required for enhancing the rate and the extent of synthesis in the presence of all of the above factors. The EFP protein stimulates synthesis of poly(Phe) programmed with poly(rU) only if Nacetyl PhetRNA initiates the reactions under conditions that foster the dissociation of the 70S ribosome. Study of the ability of the ribosome to synthesize a number of fMetinitiated dipeptides from CCA amino acyl acceptors suggests that EFP acts to promote synthesis with acceptors that are poor donors for the the reconstituted peptidyl transferase.
Biological Chemistry, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1431-6730
Volume: 381, 08/2000
Pages: 553 - 559