Apharmaceutical company is studying a new antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis. when this antibiotic is added to an in vitro protein synthesis system that is translating the mrna sequence aug uuu uuu uag, the only product formed is the dipeptide fmet-phe. what step in protein synthesis is most likely inhibited by the antibiotic? (aug: start codon/met, uuu: phe)

The correct answer to your question: What step in protein synthesis is most likely inhibited by the antibiotic? Would be: Ribosomal translocation.

Explanation:

During the process of translation of mRNA into a protein chain, a series of other molecules, like tRNA, which are present in the ribosomal subunits, must attach to it and begin the process of translating the codes. Once a starting codon (like in this case AUG) which when translated into tRNA will code for the amino acid fMet, is recognized by the ribosome, the full process of protein formation begins properly. However, in order for it to continue and be completed, there is a process known as ribosomal translocation which is essentially the way that a ribosome, given certain signals from the mRNA, will start sliding down the strand to continue the process of coding for the complementary tRNA sequence and the amino acids that can be coded for by that tRNA sequence.  With the use of this antibiotic, the process of translocation was stopped at the point in which the synthesis of protein reached two polypetides fMet-Phe.

i think the answer is

mass