Inhibition of ribosomal subunit synthesis in Escherichia coli by the vanadyl ribonucleoside complex.

The increase in antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has driven a search for new antibiotic targets and novel antimicrobial agents. A large number of different antibiotics target bacterial ribosomal subunit formation. Several specific ribonucleases are important in the processing of rRNA during subunit biogenesis. This work demonstrates that the ribonuclease inhibitor, vanadyl ribonucleoside complex (VRC), can inhibit RNases involved in ribosomal subunit formation. The ribosomal subunit synthesis rate was significantly decreased and ribosomal RNA from the subunit precursors was degraded. VRC had no inhibitory effect on translation. VRC also potentiated the inhibitory effects of an aminoglycoside and a macrolide antibiotic.