Aminoglycoside antibiotics, used to treat bacterial infections by interfering with proofreading during protein synthesis, cause sensorineural hearing loss in genetically susceptible individuals. The only aminoglycoside-hypersensitivity mutations which have been described in humans are in the mitochondrial 125 rRNA gene, potentially allowing increased antibiotic binding to mitochondrial ribosomes. To identify additional predisposing mutations, a yeast model system was used to isolate genes which interact with or bypass the effects of aminoglycoside antibiotics. A novel yeast gene was isolated which, in high copy, confers neomycin resistance to yeast transformants. The neomycin-resistance 1 gene (NEO1) encodes a potential 1151 as integral membrane protein, most homologous to the yeast DRS2 gene product, a Ca(2+)-ATPase involved in cytoplasmic ribosome assembly. The N-terminus of Neo1p is partially homologous to abrin A-chain, another protein which interacts with cytoplasmic ribosomes. Mutagenesis experiments demonstrate that the NEO1 product is essential for vegetative growth and that the drug-resistance phenotype requires ATPase function.

• PMID: 9004503
• DOI full text
• PubMed

Reference Type

Comparative Study | Journal Article | Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Authors

Prezant TR, Chaltraw WE, Fischel-Ghodsian N

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