Project description:Ribo-T is an engineered ribosome whose small and large subunits are tethered together by insertion of circularly permutated 23S rRNA into 16S rRNA [Orelle, C., Carlson, E. D., Szal, T., Florin, T., Jewett, M. C., Mankin, A.S. Protein synthesis by ribosomes with tethered subunits. Nature 524, 119-124 (2015)]. Whether the growth defects are related to problems with Ribo-T functionality is unclear. The translation in Ribo-T cells was examined by ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Besides the control cells carrying dissociable WT ribosome (SQ171), RIBO-T cells are the original SQ171 strain transformed with pRibo-T plasmid and cured of the plasmid carrying wt rRNA that was evolved to have improved growth characteristics. The Ribo-T strain carries two mutations: a nonsense mutation in the Leu22 codon of the ybeX gene and a missense mutation in codon 549 of the rpsA gene encoding ribosomal protein S1. Analysis of Ribo-T performance by ribosome profiling showed a notably higher ribosome occupancy of the start codons and somewhat increased occupancy at the stop codons of many genes, suggesting that subunit tethering specifically impairs the initiation and termination stages of translation.
Project description:In S. cerevisiae, the ribosome assembly factor Reh1 binds to pre-60S subunits at a late stage during their cytoplasmic maturation. Unlike canonical assembly factors, which associate exclusively with pre-60S subunits, we observed that Reh1 sediments with polysomes in addition to free 60S subunits. We therefore investigated the intriguing possibility that Reh1 remains associated with 60S subunits after the release of the anti-association factor Tif6 and after subunit joining. Here, we show that Reh1-bound nascent 60S subunits associate with 40S subunits to form actively translating ribosomes.
Project description:Folding of newly synthesized proteins to the native state is a major challenge within the crowded cellular environment, since non-productive interactions can lead to misfolding, aggregation and degradation1. Cells cope with this challenge by coupling synthesis with polypeptide folding and by employing molecular chaperones to safeguard folding already cotranslationally2. However, little is known about the final step of folding, the assembly of polypeptides into complexes, although most of the cellular proteome forms oligomeric assemblies3. In prokaryotes, a proof-of-concept study showed that assembly of heterodimeric luciferase is an organized cotranslational process, facilitated by spatially confined translation of the subunits encoded on a polycistronic mRNA4. In eukaryotes, however, fundamental differences such as rarity of polycistronic mRNAs and different chaperone constellations raise the question whether assembly is also coordinated with translation. Here we provide a systematic and mechanistic analysis of protein complex assembly in eukaryotes using ribosome profiling. We determined the in vivo nascent subunits interactions of 12 hetero-oligomeric protein complexes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at near-residue resolution. We find 9 complexes assemble cotranslationally; the 3 complexes that do not show cotranslational interactions are regulated by dedicated assembly chaperones5-7. Cotranslational assembly often occurs uni-directionally, with one fully synthesized subunit engaging its nascent partner subunit(s), thereby counteracting its aggregation propensity. The onset of cotranslational subunit association coincides sharply with full exposure of the nascent interaction domain at the ribosomal tunnel exit. The action of the ribosome-associated Hsp70 chaperone Ssb8 is coordinated with assembly. Ssb transiently engages partially synthesized interaction domains, then dissociates before the onset of partner subunit association, presumably to prevent premature assembly interactions. Our study shows that cotranslational subunit association is a prevalent mechanism for hetero-oligomers assembly in yeast and indicates that translation, folding and assembly of protein complexes are integrated processes in eukaryotes.
Project description:In animals the organization of the compact mitochondrial genome and lack of introns have necessitated a unique mechanism for RNA processing. To date the regulation of mitochondrial RNA processing and its importance for ribosome biogenesis and energy metabolism are not clear. To understand the in vivo role of the endoribonuclease component of the RNase P complex, MRPP3, we created conditional knockout mice. Here we show that MRPP3 is essential for life, and heart and skeletal muscle-specific knockout leads to a cardiomyopathy early in life, indicating that it is the only RNase P enzyme in mitochondria. We show that RNA processing is required for the biogenesis of the respiratory chain and mitochondrial function. Transcriptome-wide parallel analyses of RNA ends (PARE) and RNA-Seq enabled us to identify the in vivo cleavage sites of RNase P. Cleavage of the 5â² tRNA ends precedes 3â² end processing in vivo and is required for the correct biogenesis of the mitochondrial ribosomal subunits and mitoribosomal proteins that are differentially stabilized or degraded in the absence of mature rRNAs. Finally we identify that large mitoribosomal proteins can form a subcomplex on a precursor mt-RNA containing the 16S rRNA indicating that mitoribosomal biogenesis proceeds co-transcriptionally. Taken together our data show that RNA processing links transcription to translation via assembly of the mitoribosome. Total RNA was isolated from heart tissue from 11 week old control (Mrpp3loxP/loxP) and Mrpp3 knockout mice (Mrpp3loxP/loxP, +/Ckmm), TruSeq libraries produced in triplicate, sequenced and analysed for differential expression. Mitochondrial RNA was isolated from heart tissue from 11 week old control (Mrpp3loxP/loxP) and Mrpp3 knockout mice (Mrpp3loxP/loxP, +/Ckmm), PARE libraries produced in triplicate and sequenced for analysis of mitochondrial RNA processing.
Project description:Ribosomes, macromolecular machines producing a cell´s protein content, are formed from their RNA and protein components in a dynamic process referred to as ribosome assembly. While ribosome assembly in the cell starts with the successive synthesis of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) by the RNA polymerase holoenzyme, and requires numerous assembly factors, (Kaczanowska & Ryden-Aulin, 2007; Shajani et al., 2011), the process can be accomplished in vitro, using purified ribosomal components and scalable reaction conditions (Nierhaus & Dohme, 1974; Traub & Nomura, 1968). To obtain structural and conceptual insights in the early phase of the process, we performed the in vitro assembly reaction of the bacterial 50S subunit as a time course reaction, analyzed samples by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation, activity assay, quantitative mass spectrometry (qMS) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Our structural analysis reveals that early 50 assembly initiates with 23S rRNA domain I and occurs in a domain-wise fashion, while late 50S assembly proceeds incrementally. Notably, in both phases parallel pathways are utilized. Furthermore, we find that both ribosomal proteins and folded rRNA helices, occupying surface exposed regions on pre-50S particles, induce, or stabilize rRNA folds within adjacent regions, thereby creating cooperativity. Our study provides new insights into fundamental principles governing ribosome assembly.
Project description:Accurate assembly of newly- synthesized proteins into functional oligomers is crucial for cell activity. In this study, we investigated whether direct interaction of two nascent proteins, emerging from nearby ribosomes (co-co assembly), constitutes a general mechanism for oligomer formation. We used a proteome-wide screen to detect nascent chain-connected ribosome pairs and identified hundreds of homomer subunits that co-co assemble in human cells. Interactions are mediated by five major domain classes, among which N-terminal coiled coils are the most prevalent. We were able to reconstitute co-co assembly of nuclear lamin in Escherichia coli, demonstrating that dimer formation is independent of dedicated assembly machineries. Co-co assembly may thus represent an efficient way to limit protein aggregation risks posed by diffusion-driven assembly routes and ensure isoform-specific homomer formation.
Project description:Ribosome biogenesis is a complex and energy-demanding process requiring tight coordination of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and ribosomal protein (RP) production. Alteration of any step in this process may impact growth by leading to proteotoxic stress. Although the transcription factor Hsf1 has emerged as a central regulator of proteostasis, how its activity is coordinated with ribosome biogenesis is unknown. Here we show that arrest of ribosome biogenesis in the budding yeast S. cerevisiae triggers rapid activation of a highly specific stress pathway that coordinately up-regulates Hsf1 target genes and down-regulates RP genes. Activation of Hsf1 target genes requires neo-synthesis of RPs, which accumulate in an insoluble fraction, leading to sequestration of the RP transcriptional activator Ifh1. Our data suggest that levels of newly-synthetized RPs, imported into the nucleus but not yet assembled into ribosomes, work to continuously balance Hsf1 and Ifh1 activity, thus guarding against proteotoxic stress during ribosome assembly.
Project description:In animals the organization of the compact mitochondrial genome and lack of introns have necessitated a unique mechanism for RNA processing. To date the regulation of mitochondrial RNA processing and its importance for ribosome biogenesis and energy metabolism are not clear. To understand the in vivo role of the endoribonuclease component of the RNase P complex, MRPP3, we created conditional knockout mice. Here we show that MRPP3 is essential for life, and heart and skeletal muscle-specific knockout leads to a cardiomyopathy early in life, indicating that it is the only RNase P enzyme in mitochondria. We show that RNA processing is required for the biogenesis of the respiratory chain and mitochondrial function. Transcriptome-wide parallel analyses of RNA ends (PARE) and RNA-Seq enabled us to identify the in vivo cleavage sites of RNase P. Cleavage of the 5′ tRNA ends precedes 3′ end processing in vivo and is required for the correct biogenesis of the mitochondrial ribosomal subunits and mitoribosomal proteins that are differentially stabilized or degraded in the absence of mature rRNAs. Finally we identify that large mitoribosomal proteins can form a subcomplex on a precursor mt-RNA containing the 16S rRNA indicating that mitoribosomal biogenesis proceeds co-transcriptionally. Taken together our data show that RNA processing links transcription to translation via assembly of the mitoribosome.
Project description:The epitranscriptome plays a key regulatory role in cellular processes in health and disease, including ribosome biogenesis. Here, analysis of the human mitochondrial transcriptome shows that 2’-O-methylation is limited to residues of the mitoribosomal large subunit (mtLSU) 16S mt-rRNA, modified by MRM1, MRM2, and MRM3. Ablation of MRM2 leads to a severe impairment of the oxidative phosphorylation system, caused by defective mitochondrial translation and accumulation of mtLSU assembly intermediates. Structures of these particles (2.58Å) present disordered RNA domains, partial occupancy of bL36m and bound MALSU1:L0R8F8:mtACP anti-association module. Additionally, we present five mtLSU assembly states with different intersubunit interface configurations. Complementation studies demonstrate that the methyltransferase activity of MRM2 is dispensable for mitoribosome biogenesis. The Drosophila melanogaster orthologue, DmMRM2, is an essential gene, with its knock-down leading to developmental arrest. This work identifies a key late-stage quality control step during mtLSU assembly, ultimately contributing to the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis.