Medical Perspectives: The Genetic Code and Translation

More than either the machinery of replication or transcription, the ribosome is a rich target for antibiotics that preferentially block prokaryotic translation. Tetracycline, Streptomycin, Chloramphenicol, and Erythromycin are all classic antibiotics that do so.

Activation of the innate immune system by viral infection often halts translation. This is a body defense mechanism that prevents the pathogen from using the host machinery to replicate. A virus-infected host cell often shuts down the start of translation by inactivating one of the eIFs (See fig 6-70 in MCoB) through phosphorylation. This prevents ribosome assembly on mRNAs.

Finally, infecting bacteria may inhibit translation. The Diphtheria bacillus is usually only found associated with the epithelial layers of the upper respiratory tract. However, tissue necrosis is observed in organs far removed. The bacillus secretes diphtheria toxin, a medium weight globular protein, that inactivates EF-2, thus preventing ribosomes from advancing along their RNA template. This is widely believed to explain much of the internal pathology observed. I have my doubts.