Figure 1.

Can drugs that target active ribosomes in growing cells also target hibernating ribosomes in dormant cells? The schematic illustrates two phases of ribosome activity: active protein synthesis and ribosome hibernation. In actively growing bacteria, ribosomes participate in protein synthesis, and each step of this process—from the initiation of protein synthesis until ribosome recycling—is a known target of ribosome-targeting antibiotics. However, during episodes of cellular stress or nutrient deprivation, ribosomes enter a hibernation state in which they associate with hibernation factors. Despite ribosome hibernation being a widespread phenomenon that is crucial for the ability of pathogenic organisms to endure hostile environments, we know little about the potential ability of ribosome-targeting drugs to interfere with the ribosome’s entry or exit from hibernation. Source: Adapted from “A molecular network of conserved factors keeps ribosomes dormant in the egg” by Leesch et al. (2023) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05623-y, with permission from Springer Nature under license no. 5847220809267.