Project description:In the ribosome complex, tRNA is a critical element of mRNA translation. We reported a new technology for profiling ribosome-embedded tRNAs and their modifications. With the method, we generated a comprehensive survey of the quanity and quality of intra-ribosomal tRNAs (Ribo-tRNA-seq). Ribo-tRNA-seq can provide new insights on translation control mechanism in diverse biological contexts.
Project description:The cancer cells selectively promote translation of specific oncogenic transcripts to facilitate cancer survival and progression, while the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. N7-methylguanosine (m7G) tRNA modification and its methyltransferase complex METTL1/WDR4 are significantly up-regulated in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and associated with poor prognosis. We developed tRNA reduction and cleavage sequencing (TRAC-Seq) to reveal the m7G tRNA methylome inICC cell line and ribosome nascent-chain complex-bound mRNAs sequencing(RNC-seq) and ribosome profiling(Ribo-seq) to study the differential translated genes and reveal the ribosome pausing. A subset of 22 tRNAs is modified at a ‘RAGGU’ motif within the variable loop. We observe increased ribosome occupancy at the corresponding codons in the Mettl1 knockdown ICC cell line implying widespread effects on tRNA function, ribosome pausing, and mRNA translation. Translation of cell cycle genes and EGFR signaling pathway genes is particularly affected. Our study uncovers the important physiological function and mechanism of METTL1-mediated m7G tRNA modification in the regulation of cancer progression.
Project description:The Synthetase Sequestration Model (SSM) is a simplified translation model that considers explicitly two main steps in the process of tRNA aminoacylation: first, the tRNA is bound by the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase, and in a second step, the amino acid is attached to the tRNA. The tRNA then participates in the translation reaction, becoming deacylated as a result. The tRNA exists in states bound, charged and uncharged. In the bound state, the tRNA is bound to the synthetase but uncharged, i.e., the tRNA is sequestered by the synthetase. The model predicts how the balance between the three different tRNA states (empty, bound and charged) changes depending on aminoacyl tRNA synthetase availability.
Project description:Protein translation depends on mRNA-specific initiation, elongation, and termination rates. While the regulation of ribosome elongation is well studied in bacteria and yeast, less is known in higher eukaryotes. Here, we combined ribosome and tRNA profiling to investigate the relations between ribosome elongation rates, (aminoacyl-) tRNA levels and codon usage in mammals. We modeled codon-specific ribosome dwell times and translation fluxes from ribosome profiling, considering pair-interactions between ribosome sites. In mouse liver, the model revealed site and codon specific dwell times, as well as codon pair-interactions clustering by amino acids. While translation fluxes varied significantly across diurnal time and feeding regimen, codon dwell times were highly stable, and conserved in human. Fasting had no effect on codon dwell times in mouse liver. Profiling of total and aminoacylated tRNAs revealed highly heterogeneous levels with specific isoacceptor patterns and a correlation with codon usage. tRNAs for isoleucine, asparagine, aspartate and arginine were lowly loaded and conserved in fasted mice. Finally, codons with low levels of charged tRNAs and high codon usage relative to tRNA abundance exhibited long dwell times. Together, these analyses pave the way towards understanding the complex relation between tRNA loading, codon usage and ribosome dwell times in mammals.
Project description:Protein translation depends on mRNA-specific initiation, elongation, and termination rates. While the regulation of ribosome elongation is well studied in bacteria and yeast, less is known in higher eukaryotes. Here, we combined ribosome and tRNA profiling to investigate the relations between ribosome elongation rates, (aminoacyl-) tRNA levels and codon usage in mammals. We modeled codon-specific ribosome dwell times and translation fluxes from ribosome profiling, considering pair-interactions between ribosome sites. In mouse liver, the model revealed site and codon specific dwell times, as well as codon pair-interactions clustering by amino acids. While translation fluxes varied significantly across diurnal time and feeding regimen, codon dwell times were highly stable, and conserved in human. Fasting had no effect on codon dwell times in mouse liver. Profiling of total and aminoacylated tRNAs revealed highly heterogeneous levels with specific isoacceptor patterns and a correlation with codon usage. tRNAs for isoleucine, asparagine, aspartate and arginine were lowly loaded and conserved in fasted mice. Finally, codons with low levels of charged tRNAs and high codon usage relative to tRNA abundance exhibited long dwell times. Together, these analyses pave the way towards understanding the complex relation between tRNA loading, codon usage and ribosome dwell times in mammals.
Project description:In higher eukaryotes, the large numbers of nuclear-encoded tRNA genes partially ensure the robustness of cytoplasmic protein translation. Here we discover that a loss-of-function in n-Tr20, a member of the nuclear-encoded tRNA Arg UCU family that is expressed specifically in the central nervous systems leads to low but detectable levels of ribosome stalling. In the absence of GTPBP2, a novel binding partner of the ribosome recycling protein Pelota, ribosome stalling increases, leading to widespread neurodegeneration. Our results not only define GTPBP2 as a ribosome rescue factor, but also unmask the disease potential of mutations in nuclear-encoded tRNA genes. In this submission we provide ribosome footprinting data from the cerebella of four strains derived from the C57BL/6J strain with combinations of n-Tr20 and GTPBP2 mutations. Examination of ribosome stalling in cerebella from 4 mouse strains derived from the: C57BL/6J (B6J) strain. The nmf205-/- strain has a homozygous mutation in the gene GTPBP2 while the B6J strain has normal GTPBP2. The n-Tr20 J/J strain has a defect in the n-Tr20 tRNA while the n-Tr20 N/N strain has a functional n-Tr20 tRNA. The 4 strains are the 2x2 combinations of these defects and correctly functioning sequences. 2 replicates for each strain. Please note that only BAM files are included in the records since they form the basis of the study's conclusions. The raw data ribosomal RNA have been filtered and then unique reads mapping to mm10 were computed using tophat and igenome annotations.
Project description:Proteins begin to fold as they emerge from translating ribosomes. The kinetics of ribosome transit along a given mRNA can influence nascent chain folding, but the extent to which individual codon translation rates impact proteome integrity remains unknown. Here, we show that slower decoding of discrete codons elicits widespread protein aggregation in vivo. Using ribosome profiling, we find that loss of anticodon wobble uridine (U34) modifications in a subset of tRNAs leads to ribosome pausing at their cognate codons in S. cerevisiae and C. elegans. Yeast cells lacking U34 modifications exhibit gene expression hallmarks of proteotoxic stress and accumulate aggregates of endogenous proteins with key cellular functions. Moreover, these cells are severely compromised in clearing stress-induced protein aggregates. Overexpression of hypomodified tRNAs alleviates ribosome pausing, concomitantly restoring protein homeostasis. Our findings demonstrate that modified U34 is an evolutionarily conserved accelerator of decoding and reveal an unanticipated role for tRNA anticodon modifications in maintaining proteome integrity. Ribosome profiling of wild-type and tRNA modification-deficient yeast and nematodes. Yeast samples were generated in various growth conditions (rich medium versus stress induced by treatment with diamide or rapamycin) and paired mRNA-Seq was performed on a subset of samples. Dataset contains three biological replicates for yeast samples and two biological replicates for nematode samples.
Project description:In addition to the conserved translation elongation factors eEF1A and eEF2, fungi require a third essential elongation factor, eEF3. While eEF3 has been implicated in tRNA binding and release at the A and E sites, its exact mechanism of action is unclear. Here we show that eEF3 acts at the mRNA–tRNA translocation step by promoting the dissociation of the tRNA from the E site, but independent of aminoacyl-tRNA recruitment to the A site. Depletion of eEF3 in vivo leads to a general slow-down in translation elongation due to accumulation of ribosomes with an occupied A site. Cryo-EM analysis of native eEF3-ribosome complexes shows that eEF3 facilitates late steps of translocation by favoring non-rotated ribosomal states as well as by opening the L1 stalk to release the E-site tRNA. Additionally, our analysis provides structural insights into novel translation elongation states, enabling presentation of a revised yeast translation elongation cycle.
Project description:In higher eukaryotes, the large numbers of nuclear-encoded tRNA genes partially ensure the robustness of cytoplasmic protein translation. Here we discover that a loss-of-function in n-Tr20, a member of the nuclear-encoded tRNA Arg UCU family that is expressed specifically in the central nervous systems leads to low but detectable levels of ribosome stalling. In the absence of GTPBP2, a novel binding partner of the ribosome recycling protein Pelota, ribosome stalling increases, leading to widespread neurodegeneration. Our results not only define GTPBP2 as a ribosome rescue factor, but also unmask the disease potential of mutations in nuclear-encoded tRNA genes. In this submission we provide ribosome footprinting data from the cerebella of four strains derived from the C57BL/6J strain with combinations of n-Tr20 and GTPBP2 mutations.
Project description:Antibiotics of the orthosomycin class bind at a distinct site on the large subunit of the bacterial ribosome not used by any other known protein synthesis inhibitor. Structural and biochemical in vitro studies suggested that orthosomycins should block accommodation of aminoacyl-tRNAs in the ribosomal A-site arresting the ribosome at the start codons of the genes. However, the mode of action of orthosomycins in the living cell remains unknown. Here, to get a general and unbiased view of the mode of action of orthosomycin antibiotics, we carried out genome-wide ribosome profiling analysis in Escherichia coli cells exposed to evernimicin, one of the most active antibiotics of this class. Our in vivo data, supported by the analysis of evernimicin action upon in vitro translation of a variety of mRNAs, argue that orthosomycins preferentially inhibit translation elongation and act in a context specific manner. We show that evernimicin predominantly arrests translation when the ribosome needs to accommodate Pro-tRNA or Leu-tRNA in the A site while polymerizing specific amino acid sequences. We further show that the discovered context specificity of orthosomycins is exploited for the programmed translation arrest that apparently regulates resistance to these antibiotics.