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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 11: Franco-German Session: Bacterial Biophysics I

BP 11.10: Vortrag

Dienstag, 10. März 2026, 12:15–12:30, BAR/0106

Drug interactions between translation and transcription-targeting antibiotics result from differences in ribosome regulation — •Natawan Gadjisade and Tobias Bollenbach — Institute for Biological Physics, Cologne, Germany

Combining antibiotics has the potential to improve treatment efficacy and slow the evolution of resistance. When two antibiotics are combined, their effect on bacterial growth may be stronger or weaker than expected. Recent work has shown that such interactions between ribosome-targeting antibiotics can often be predicted using a biophysical model based on bacterial growth laws. Here, we aim to understand the interplay between translation and transcription inhibitors. We identified different types of drug interactions by measuring E. coli growth in two-dimensional concentration gradients of the transcription inhibitor rifampicin and several translation inhibitors. We systematically quantify proteome allocation and individual protein regulation using mass spectrometry-based proteomics measurements. Notably, some translation inhibitors, such as kasugamycin, exhibit signs of disrupted coordination between the two ribosomal subunits. The ribosome concentration does not increase in response, thus violating the usual growth law. The way ribosomes respond to each translation inhibitor influences drug interactions with rifampicin, which itself causes a decrease in ribosome concentration. Based on the quantification of these different responses, we aim to build a biophysical model of antibiotic action that can explain the interaction patterns. Our work has the potential to facilitate quantitative predictions of drug interactions.

Keywords: Drug interactions; Translation inhibitors; Transcription inhibitors; Bacterial growth laws; Proteomics