# Mechanisms of translational control

> **NIH NIH R01** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $265,352

## Abstract

Elongation Factor P (EF-P) is a universally conserved post-translationally modified protein that relieves
ribosomal pausing at polyproline motifs by binding to the ribosome and entropically stimulating peptide bond
formation. In all examples characterized to date EF-P and its homologs require post-translational modification
to be functional. The function of EF-P modifications and the mechanism by which modifications would improve
translation efficiency is unclear. Mutations in bacterial genes encoding EF-P (efp) or the corresponding
modification pathways are highly pleiotropic, leading to a variety of detrimental phenotypes including slowed
growth, loss of motility, attenuated virulence and hypersensitivity to antibiotics. Preliminary characterization of
post-translational modification of Bacillus subtilis EF-P, which requires 5-aminopentanol addition for activity,
challenges the notion that EF-P functions solely to maintain basic cellular function. In B. subtilis the ratio of
modified to unmodified EF-P varies with growth phase, and neither deletion of EF-P nor removal of the
modification impair vegetative growth, but instead specifically impair motility development. We hypothesize,
based on the chemical diversity of permissive post-translational modification groups, that EF-P modification is
regulatory. B. subtilis is an ideal model organism to explore this hypothesis as defects in either EF-P or EF-P
modification impair swarming motility, a powerful phenotype for unbiased genetic selection. The objectives of
this proposal are to uncover the structural and functional diversity of EF-P by investigating the different
mechanisms by which this conserved, ubiquitous, translation factor functions during protein synthesis.
Specifically, we will determine how EF-P acts as a cellular differentiation-specific translation factor and
investigate the mechanism of translational control by EF-P.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9933931
- **Project number:** 5R01GM065183-17
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Christine M Dunham
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $265,352
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2003-01-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9933931

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9933931, Mechanisms of translational control (5R01GM065183-17). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9933931. Licensed CC0.

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