Initiation of protein synthesis: a target for antimicrobials

Background: Translation initiation is a basic and universal biological process that employs significantly different components and displays substantially different mechanisms in bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic cells. A large amount of detailed mechanistic and structural information on the bacterial translation initiation apparatus has been uncovered in recent years. Objective: to understand which translation initiation steps could represent a novel or underexploited target for the discovery of new and specific antibacterial drugs. Methods: Brief descriptions of the properties and mechanism of action of the major antibiotics that have a documented direct inhibitory effect on bacterial translation initiation are presented. Results/conclusions: Considerations and predictions concerning a future scenario for research and identification of bacterial translation initiation inhibitors are presented.