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Poliovirus chimeras replicating under the translational control of genetic elements of hepatitis C virus reveal unusual properties of the internal ribosomal entry site of hepatitis C virus.

Chimeric genomes of poliovirus (PV) have been constructed in which the cognate internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) element was replaced by genetic elements of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Replacement of PV IRES with nt 9-332 of the genotype Ib HCV genome, a sequence comprising all but the first eight residues of the 5' nontranslated region (5'NTR) of HCV, resulted in a lethal phenotype. Addition of 366 nt of the HCV core-encoding sequence downstream of the HCV 5'NTR yielded a viable PV/HCV chimera, which expressed a stable, small-plaque phenotype. This chimeric genome encoded a truncated HCV core protein that was fused to the N terminus of the PV polyprotein via an engineered cleavage site for PV proteinase 3CPpro. Manipulation of the HCV core-encoding sequence of this viable chimera by deletion and frameshift yielded results suggesting that the 5'-proximal sequences of the HCV open reading frame were essential for viability of the chimera and that the N-terminal basic region of the HCV core protein is required for efficient replication of the chimeric virus. These data suggest that the bona fide HCV IRES includes genetic information mapping to the 5'NTR and sequences of the HCV open reading frame. PV chimeras replicating under translational control of genetic elements of HCV can serve to study HCV IRES function in vivo and to search for anti-HCV chemotherapeutic agents.

Base Sequence↗

An N-terminally truncated RpoS (sigma(S)) protein in Escherichia coli is active in vivo and exhibits normal environmental regulation even in the absence of rpoS transcriptional and translational control signals.

RpoS (sigma(S)) in Escherichia coli is a stationary-phase-specific primary sigma factor of RNA polymerase which is 330 amino acids long and belongs to the eubacterial sigma(70) family of proteins. Conserved domain 1.1 at the N-terminal end of sigma(70) has been shown to be essential for RNA polymerase function, and its deletion has been shown to result in a dominant-lethal phenotype. We now report that a sigma(S) variant with a deletion of its N-terminal 50 amino acids (sigma(S)Delta1-50), when expressed in vivo either from a chromosomal rpoS::IS10 allele (in rho mutant strains) or from a plasmid-borne arabinose-inducible promoter, is as proficient as the wild type in directing transcription from the proU P1 promoter; at three other sigma(S)-dependent promoters that were tested (osmY, katE, and csiD), the truncated protein exhibited a three- to sevenfold reduced range of activities. Catabolite repression at the csiD promoter (which requires both sigma(S) and cyclic AMP [cAMP]-cAMP receptor protein for its activity) was also preserved in the strain expressing sigma(S)Delta1-50. The intracellular content of sigma(S)Delta1-50 was regulated by culture variables such as growth phase, osmolarity, and temperature in the same manner as that described earlier for sigma(S), even when the truncated protein was expressed from a template that possessed neither the transcriptional nor the translational control elements of wild-type rpoS. Our results indicate that, unlike that in sigma(70), the N-terminal domain in sigma(S) may not be essential for the protein to function as a sigma factor in vivo. Furthermore, our results suggest that the induction of sigma(S)-specific promoters in stationary phase and during growth under conditions of high osmolarity or low temperature is mediated primarily through the regulation of sigma(S) protein degradation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Constitutive expression of growth-related mRNAs in proliferating and nonproliferating lung epithelial cells in primary culture: evidence for growth-dependent translational control.

We describe the control of proliferation and growth-related gene expression in primary cultures of epithelial cells derived from rat lung. Type 2 epithelial cells line the gas-exchange surface of the alveoli where they produce and secrete surfactant. When isolated from adult animals, type 2 cells do not proliferate in culture, although they have a limited ability to do so in vivo. We show that type 2 cells isolated from neonatal rats proliferate in culture and that growth can be reversibly arrested by withdrawing serum from the medium. We studied the expression of five genes whose mRNA levels fluctuate with the state of proliferation in several cell systems: the c-myc and c-Ha-ras protooncogenes and the genes encoding actin, ornithine decarboxylase (L-ornithine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.17), and histone 3.2. All five mRNAs were constitutively expressed at identical levels in proliferating and nonproliferating (serum deprived) neonatal cells and in adult cells. Thus, at the level of mRNA abundance, the expression of these five genes was uncoupled from the growth state of the cells. By contrast, synthesis of the replication-dependent histones and the activity of ornithine decarboxylase were detectable only in proliferating neonatal cells and not in serum-deprived neonatal cells or in adult cells. The results suggest that, in type 2 cells, growth factors might regulate the translation, rather than the mRNA abundance, of at least some growth-related genes and that the ability to respond to this translational control may be developmentally regulated.

Aging↗

A cancer gene therapy approach through translational control of a suicide gene.

The translation initiation factor eIF4E is elevated in most solid tumors resulting in translation of mRNAs that are normally repressed by their structured 5' untranslated region. We have introduced a translational repressor element in a vector (BK-UTK) designed to express herpes thymidine kinase (HTK). This and a control vector (BK-TK) were used to treat experimental tumors of a murine breast cancer line. Both vectors were equally effective in reducing subcutaneous tumors and lung metastases following ganciclovir administration. However, the BK-TK vector was found to be highly toxic, resulting in severe weight loss, degeneration of various organs, and early death of mice following systemic vector delivery, whereas the BK-UTK increased mean survival without toxicity.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

Retroposition of processed pseudogenes: the impact of RNA stability and translational control.

Human processed pseudogenes are copies of cellular RNAs reverse transcribed and inserted into the nuclear genome by the enzymatic machinery of L1 (LINE1) non-LTR retrotransposons. Although it is generally accepted that germline expression is crucial for the heritable retroposition of cellular mRNAs, little is known about the influences of RNA stability, mRNA quality control and compartmentalization of translation on the retroposition of processed pseudogenes. We found that frequently retroposed human mRNAs are derived from stable transcripts with translation-competent functional reading frames that are resistant to nonsense-mediated RNA decay. They are preferentially translated on free cytoplasmic ribosomes and encode soluble proteins. Our results indicate that interactions between mRNAs and L1 proteins seem to occur at free cytoplasmic ribosomes.

Animals↗

CPEB, maskin, and cyclin B1 mRNA at the mitotic apparatus: implications for local translational control of cell division.

In Xenopus development, the expression of several maternal mRNAs is regulated by cytoplasmic polyadenylation. CPEB and maskin, two factors that control polyadenylation-induced translation are present on the mitotic apparatus of animal pole blastomeres in embryos. Cyclin B1 protein and mRNA, whose translation is regulated by polyadenylation, are colocalized with CPEB and maskin. CPEB interacts with microtubules and is involved in the localization of cyclin B1 mRNA to the mitotic apparatus. Agents that disrupt polyadenylation-induced translation inhibit cell division and promote spindle and centrosome defects in injected embryos. Two of these agents inhibit the synthesis of cyclin B1 protein and one, which has little effect on this process, disrupts the localization of cyclin B1 mRNA and protein. These data suggest that CPEB-regulated mRNA translation is important for the integrity of the mitotic apparatus and for cell division.

Animals↗

Translational control during early development.

The regulation of gene expression during early development is controlled predominantly at the translational level. This becomes necessary due to transcriptional arrest during maturation of the oocyte and the rapid early cleavage divisions of the embryo. Consequently, early events involved in pattern formation, germ cell specification, cell fate, and cell division are programmed by maternal messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA). The majority of these transcripts are stored as masked ribonucleoproteins particles during oogenesis but undergo sequence-specific translational activation during oocyte maturation and embryogenesis. Translational regulation occurs in the male germ line and, though not a prominent feature, in the soma as well. Evidence suggests that the assembly of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles may be coupled to transcription. Specific translational regulatory sequences are found in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions of maternal mRNA, but the majority occur downstream of the coding region. Most of the known cis-acting sequences and associated proteins are implicated in translational repression. Antisense RNA also has been implicated in specific mRNA translational regulation. Although little is known about message-specific unmasking, in general, one exception is cytoplasmic polyadenylation-mediated translational activation. A widespread phenomenon, it occurs in both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Animals↗

Translational control of the circadian rhythm of liver sterol carrier protein.

Rat liver sterol carrier protein (SCP), a major regulator of lipid metabolism and transport, undergoes a rapid turnover and dramatic circadian variation in amount. The level of SCP was quantitated by a specific immunochemical assay using an antibody to homogeneous liver SCP. During a 12-h dark, 12-h light cycle, liver exhibits a biphasic pattern in SCP level. A 7-fold increase in SCP (i.e. from 1 to 7 mg/g of liver) occurs in the dark period, peaking at the midpoint and returning to basal levels by the beginning of the light period. A similar but smaller pattern of variation in SCP amount occurs in the light cycle. To elucidate the basic mechanism responsible for these changes in SCP level, the relative synthetic rate of SCP and mRNA functional activity for SCP were measured during the dark-light cycle. Alterations in the rate of SCP synthesis can account for the variations in SCP concentration. Although large changes occur in relative synthetic rate, no significant changes were found in the level of mRNA for SCP. Therefore, the circadian rhythm in SCP synthesis and amount does not reflect variations in the concentration of mRNA for SCP, but instead is caused by some mechanism controlling the efficiency of translation of SCP mRNA.

Animals↗

The Akt of translational control.

The oncogene AKT (also called protein kinase B (PKB)) signals to the translational machinery, and activation of protein synthesis by Akt is associated with cancer formation. Akt directly stimulates the activity of translation initiation factors and upregulates ribosome biogenesis. Activation of protein synthesis by Akt is phylogenetically conserved from Drosophila to humans, and is important for regulating cell growth, proliferation and cell survival. Consequently, translation defects due to aberrant Akt activation may be a crucial mechanism leading to tumorigenesis. However, few in vivo studies have established a causative role for aberrant protein synthesis control in cancer. A major challenge in the future will be to identify the specific mRNAs regulated at the level of translation control directly relevant for cellular transformation. In this review, we highlight and discuss the emerging molecular and genetic evidence that support a model by which deregulation of specific or global protein synthesis contributes to cancer.

Cell Transformation, Neoplastic↗

Activities of cold-shock domain proteins in translation control.

For efficient processing, transport, storage, translation, and degradation, stretches of RNA transcripts are required in a single-stranded conformation (ssRNA). A superfamily of OB-fold proteins is characterized by preference of binding to ssRNA. This superfamily consists of proteins containing either an S1 domain (S1-D) or a cold-shock domain (CSD). In a variety of situations. S1-D or CSD proteins are found in association with DEAD-box RNA helicases and the two types of protein appear to function together to maintain regions of ssRNA. CSD proteins are commonly found bound to stored (nontranslating) mRNA, particularly during early development. Although complete removal of the CSD proteins from mRNA permits its translation in vitro, low concentrations of CSD protein on the mRNA may be required for maximal translation efficiency in vivo. Another component of stored mRNP particles in Xenopus oocytes is the protein kinase CK2, which phosphorylates the associated CSD proteins. It is argued here that the loading of CSD proteins on mRNA and the stability of the protein/mRNA complex are regulated by RNA helicase activity and protein phosphorylation.

Animals↗

Translational control during heat shock.

Regulation of translation during heat shock of Drosophila and mammalian cells is reviewed. Protein synthesis is severely inhibited by elevated temperatures but synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSPs) is resistant to this inhibition. The primary site of regulation is polypeptide chain initiation. The activities of two initiation factors, eIF-2 and eIF-4F, are modulated during heat shock. A protein kinase which modulates eIF-2 activity appears to be associated with heat shock proteins (HSPs). Evidence is emerging that HSP70 acts as a heat sensor by detecting the presence of accumulating denatured proteins. In the rabbit reticulocyte lysate denatured proteins bind HSP70 releasing an eIF-2 kinase to shut down protein synthesis. It appears highly likely that a similar mechanism is acting in heat shocked cells. Cell-free protein synthesizing systems prepared from heat shocked cells are deficient in eIF-4F. Modulation of eIF-4F can explain in part the apparent preferential translation of HSP mRNAs.

Animals↗

Selective killing of cancer cells based on translational control of a suicide gene.

The translation initiation factor, eIF4E, is commonly overexpressed in solid tumors. This elevation allows for efficient translation of mRNA that are normally repressed by their 5' untranslated region, many of which encode growth-promoting proteins. This property was exploited to modulate the synthesis of HTK at the translational level to selectively kill cancer cells. Various breast cancer cell lines can efficiently synthesize HTK from the translationally regulated mRNA, whereas normal cells cannot. Accordingly, only cancer cells were killed at low concentrations of ganciclovir. By altering the expression of eIF4E, it was possible to modulate the sensitivity of various cell lines to ganciclovir.

Antiviral Agents↗

Two Xenopus proteins that bind the 3' end of histone mRNA: implications for translational control of histone synthesis during oogenesis.

Translationally inactive histone mRNA is stored in frog oocytes, and translation is activated at oocyte maturation. The replication-dependent histone mRNAs are not polyadenylated and end in a conserved stem-loop structure. There are two proteins (SLBPs) which bind the 3' end of histone mRNA in frog oocytes. SLBP1 participates in pre-mRNA processing in the nucleus. SLBP2 is oocyte specific, is present in the cytoplasm, and does not support pre-mRNA processing in vivo or in vitro. The stored histone mRNA is bound to SLBP2. As oocytes mature, SLBP2 is degraded and a larger fraction of the histone mRNA is bound to SLBP1. The mechanism of activation of translation of histone mRNAs may involve exchange of SLBPs associated with the 3' end of histone mRNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Translational control of poly(A)-binding protein expression.

Poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) is important for translation of eukaryotic mRNA and may be involved in shortening of its poly(A) tract. In many eukaryotic cells, this mRNA is inefficiently translated. The 5' untranslated region (UTR) of PABP mRNA has several adenine-rich regions which may serve as the PABP-binding sites to control its translation by a feed-back mechanism. This postulate was tested by using in vitro transcribed PABP mRNA and a rabbit reticulocyte lysate cell-free system. Results of our studies show that removal of the putative PABP-binding sites from the 5' UTR of this mRNA enhances its translation in the rabbit reticulocyte cell-free system. Furthermore, in vitro translation of the full-length PABP mRNA was inhibited by addition of purified PABP to the cell-free system. In contrast, translation of truncated mRNA lacking the putative PABP-binding sites at the 5' UTR was not inhibited by exogenous PABP. We have also tested the ability of purified PABP to bind to the 5' UTR of PABP mRNA using ultraviolet-mediated covalent cross-linking of RNA and proteins in vitro. Our results show that exogenous PABP binds to the 5' UTR of its full-length mRNA. Furthermore, incubation of PABP mRNA in rabbit reticulocyte lysate also led to binding of the endogenous PABP within the first 223 nucleotides of the 5' UTR. The adenine-rich regions are located within this segment of PABP mRNA. Following incubation of PABP mRNA in the reticulocyte lysate cell-free system under conditions of mRNA translation, the polysomal and non-translated free mRNA fractions were separated by centrifugation. Analysis of free and polysomal mRNA-protein (mRNP) complexes following ultraviolet-induced cross-linking showed that the free mRNP population was preferentially enriched in PABP. Results of our studies, therefore, suggest that PABP mRNA translation may be repressed by a unique feed-back mechanism.

DNA, Complementary↗

Distribution of messenger ribonucleic acid in polysomes and nonpolysomal particles of sea urchin embryos: translational control of actin synthesis.

We have used cell-free translation and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to examine the complexities of the polysomal and cytoplasmic nonpolysomal [ribonucleo-protein (free RNP)] messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) populations of sea urchin eggs and embryos. We show that all species of mRNA detected by this method are represented in both the polysomes and free RNPs; essentially all messages present in polysomes are also in the free RNP fraction. However, the cytoplasmic distribution is clearly nonrandom since some templates are relatively concentrated in the free RNPs and others are predominantly in the polysomes. The polypeptides synthesized under the direction of unfertilized egg mRNA are qualitatively indistinguishable from those made by using embryonic mRNA, indicating that the complexity of the abundant class mRNA remains unchanged from egg through early development. However large changes in the abundancies of specific mRNAs occur, and changes are detected in the polysomal/free RNP distribution of some mRNAs through development. The differences in the realtive abundancies of specific mRNAs between polysomes and free RNPs and the developmental changes that take place indicate significant cytoplasmic selection of mRNA for translation. Three different forms of actin (termed alpha, beta, and gamma) were identified among the translation products. Messages for all three are present in the unfertilized egg and early cleavage embryo, yet the gamma form is preferentially located in the polysomes and the alpha and beta in the free RNPs. The relative concentrations of the three change greatly during development as do their relative distributions into polysomes and free RNPs. Examinations of in vivo labeled proteins largely support the in vitro findings. The results indicate that the synthesis of actin mRNAs increases greatly during development and that the expression of the actin mRNAs is partly controlled at the translation level during early development.

Actins↗

Activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes rapidly synthesize retinoic acid receptor-alpha: a mechanism for translational control of transcriptional events.

In addition to releasing preformed granular proteins, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) synthesize chemokines and other factors under transcriptional control. Here we demonstrate that PMNs express an inducible transcriptional modulator by signal-dependent activation of specialized mechanisms that regulate messenger RNA (mRNA) translation. HL-60 myelocytic cells differentiated to surrogate PMNs respond to activation by platelet activating factor by initiating translation and with appearance of specific mRNA transcripts in polyribosomes. cDNA array analysis of the polyribosome fraction demonstrated that retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-alpha, a transcription factor that controls the expression of multiple genes, is one of the polyribosome-associated transcripts. Quiescent surrogate HL60 PMNs and primary human PMNs contain constitutive message for RAR-alpha but little or no protein. RAR-alpha protein is rapidly synthesized in response to platelet activating factor under the control of a specialized translational regulator, mammalian target of rapamycin, and is blocked by the therapeutic macrolide rapamycin, events consistent with features of the 5' untranslated region of the transcript. Newly synthesized RAR-alpha modulates production of interleukin-8. Rapid expression of a transcription factor under translational control is a previously unrecognized mechanism in human PMNs that indicates unexpected diversity in gene regulation in this critical innate immune effector cell.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

Translational control of interleukin 2 messenger RNA as a molecular mechanism of T cell anergy.

T cell stimulation by triggering through the T cell receptor (TCR) in the absence of costimulatory signals or by calcium ionophore induces unresponsiveness in T cells to further stimulation, a phenomenon known as anergy. In freshly isolated T cells, calcium ionophore induces expression of interleukin (IL)-2 messenger (mRNA), but this mRNA is not translated and not loaded with ribosomes. In addition, while plate-bound anti-CD3 stimulation of resting T cells leads to IL-2 mRNA expression and IL-2 secretion, in cells pretreated with calcium ionophore before anti-CD3 stimulation, the IL-2 mRNA remains polysome unloaded and no IL-2 is produced. These observations show that IL-2 expression is controlled at the translational level, by differential ribosome loading. Furthermore, our data suggest that translational control of IL-2 mRNA may be a molecular mechanism by which anergy is attained.

Base Sequence↗