Viomycin inhibited polypeptide biosynthesis, initiation complex formation and translocation of peptidyl-tRNA on ribosomes derived from a sensitive strain of Mycobacterium smegmatis (R-15), but not significantly on ribosomes from viomycin-resistant mutants(R-31 and R-43). The inhibition of translocation was stronger than that of initiation complex formation in the sensitive strain. The binding of [$^{14}C$] tuberactinomycin O, a viomycin analog, to ribosomal particles was studied by Millipore filter method. The sensitive ribosome exhibited higher affinity for the antibiotic than the resistant ribosomes. The resistance was localized on the large ribosomal subunit in a mutant(R-31), and on the small subunit in another mutant(R-43). The binding of the drug to the sensitive ribosomal subunit was markedly reduced by combination with the resistant pair subunit, and the entire ribosome became resistant to the antibiotic.