InterPro domain: IPR036920

L16 is an essential protein in the large ribosomal subunit of bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. Large subunits that lack L16 are defective in peptidyl transferase activity, peptidyl-tRNA hydrolysis activity, association with the 30S subunit, binding of aminoacyl-tRNA and interaction with antibiotics. L16 is required for the function of elongation factor P (EF-P), a protein involved in peptide bond synthesis through the stimulation of peptidyl transferase activity by the ribosome. Mutations in L16 and the adjoining bases of 23S rRNA confer antibiotic resistance in bacteria, suggesting a role for L16 in the formation of the antibiotic binding site. The GTPase RbgA (YlqF) is essential for the assembly of the large subunit, and it is believed to regulate the incorporation of L16. L10e is the archaeal and eukaryotic cytosolic homologue of bacterial L16. L16 and L10e exhibit structural differences at the N terminus [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].

This entry represents a structural domain superfamily with an alpha/beta-hammerhead fold, where the beta-hammerhead motif is similar to that in barrel-sandwich hybrids. Domains of this structure can be found in ribosomal proteins L10e and L16.

1. Solution structure of ribosomal protein L16 from Thermus thermophilus HB8. J. Mol. Biol. 344, 1369-83
2. Multiple GTPases participate in the assembly of the large ribosomal subunit in Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 188, 8252-8
3. The GTP-binding protein YlqF participates in the late step of 50 S ribosomal subunit assembly in Bacillus subtilis. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 8110-7
4. Isolation and characterization of a dominant negative mutant of Bacillus subtilis GTP-binding protein, YlqF, essential for biogenesis and maintenance of the 50 S ribosomal subunit. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 25270-7
5. The essential GTPase RbgA (YlqF) is required for 50S ribosome assembly in Bacillus subtilis. Mol. Microbiol. 59, 528-40
6. A novel site of antibiotic action in the ribosome: interaction of evernimicin with the large ribosomal subunit. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98, 3726-31
7. Mutations in ribosomal protein L16 and in 23S rRNA in Enterococcus strains for which evernimicin MICs differ. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 46, 3657-9
8. Mutations in ribosomal protein L10e confer resistance to the fungal-specific eukaryotic elongation factor 2 inhibitor sordarin. J. Biol. Chem. 274, 4869-75