Heat-induced stability of tRNA from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus.
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Over 150 modifications expand the RNA alphabet, yet all known natural modifications occur on nucleobases or ribose sugars, with none identified on the phosphate backbone. In contrast, phosphorothioates (PSs), in which a non-bridging phosphate oxygen is replaced with sulfur, are central to RNA therapeutics but have never been reliably detected in natural RNAs. Here, we develop sequencing- and mass spectrometry-based approaches to quantitatively map RNA PSs at single-nucleotide resolution. Across diverse archaeal species, we identify stereospecific PS modifications at rRNA and tRNA hotspots, which are dynamically regulated by sulfur availability and temperature. We uncover a diverse enzyme family that selectively modifies tRNA/rRNA substrates and whose evolutionary presence/absence matches the distribution of PSs. Enzyme loss causes inviability or temperature sensitivity, and functional analyses reveal that tRNA PSs enhance tRNA stability. These findings establish the first natural RNA phosphate-backbone modification and its enzymatic machinery, providing a foundation for mechanistic and functional exploration.
tRNAs, one of the most conserved and abundant RNAs, are central components of protein synthesis, transferring genetic information from DNA to proteins through a precise base-pairing mechanism. Post-transcriptional modifications of tRNAs by tRNA modifying enzymes are essential for maintaining their normal physiological functions, including methylation, isomerization and glycosylation. tRNA methylation, particularly 1-methyladenosine (m1A), 5-methylcytidine (m5C), and 7-methylguanosine (m7G), are among the most abundant and diverse types of post-transcriptional modifications of tRNA, which promote the stability of tRNA secondary and tertiary structures and allow for proper translation. In addition, tRNA methylation affects the production and function of tsRNA (tRNA-derived small RNA), small fragments of RNA that further regulate gene expression and protein synthesis. In our review, we discuss the relevant biological functions of tRNA methylation, including tRNA stability, protein translation, and tsRNA biogenesis.
tRNAMetf binds to 23S rRNA of Escherichia coli, forming a complex with a melting temperature of 75 degrees (in 0.6 M NaCl). The regions within the RNAs that bind to each other have been isolated and their nucleotide sequences have been determined. The interacting region in tRNAMetf is 17 nucleotides long, extending from G5 in the acceptor stem to D21 (D = 5.6-dihydrouridine) in the D loop. The sequence in 23S rRNA is complementary to that sequence except for an extra Up in the middle and allowing a Gp.D base pair. We propose that association of these two sequences may play a role in initiation of protein synthesis by tRNAMetf. In addition, part of this sequence in 23S rRNA may also stabilize tRNA binding to the ribosome during elongation of nascent polypeptides.
Nine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from Ehrlich ascites cells were examined with respect to their ability to be isolated as high molecular weight complexes, soluble enzymes, and ribosome-bound enzymes. Several different methods were employed for cell homogenization and enzyme isolation, with particular attention paid to the effects of hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic buffers on enzyme isolation. The binding of all synthetases to ribosomes was eliminated if the low ionic strength of the isolation buffer was raised to isotonic levels. In contrast, neither the ionic strength or composition of the buffers, nor the procedures used for cell homogenization or enzyme isolation had any significant effect on the isolation of the high molecular weight synthetase complex. Certain enzymes (lysyl-, methionyl- and isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases) formed very stable complexes and high molecular weight species were the predominant forms of these enzymes under all conditions of cell homogenization and enzyme isolation. Other enzymes (glycyl-, tyrosinyl- and threonyl-tRNA synthetases) formed complexes very weakly, if at all, and always appeared predominately in the soluble enzyme fraction. Isolated soluble forms of the lysyl-, methionyl- and isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases did not associate to form significant amounts of complex upon re-isolATION, SUGGESTING THAT A COMPONENT NECESSARY FOR COMPLEX FORMATION WAS MISSING FROM THE SOLUBLE ENZYME FRACTION. However, the soluble forms of these enzymes, but not the glycyl-, tyrosinyl- and threonyl-tRNA synthetases, did for complexes when mixed with ribosomal RNA or polyuridylic acid. Preliminary experiments showed no significant differences between the complexed and soluble forms of the lysyl-, methionyl- and isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases with respect to Km values or ability to charge different isoaccepting tRNAs.
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To identify trans-acting factors involved in mRNA decay in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have begun to characterize conditional lethal mutants that affect mRNA steady-state levels. A screen of a collection of temperature-sensitive mutants identified ts352, a mutant that accumulated moderately stable and unstable mRNAs after a shift from 23 to 37 degrees C (M. Aebi, G. Kirchner, J.-Y. Chen, U. Vijayraghavan, A. Jacobson, N.C. Martin, and J. Abelson, J. Biol. Chem. 265:16216-16220, 1990). ts352 has a defect in the CCA1 gene, which codes for tRNA nucleotidyltransferase, the enzyme that adds 3' CCA termini to tRNAs (Aebi et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1990). In a shift to the nonpermissive temperature, ts352 (cca1-1) cells rapidly cease protein synthesis, reduce the rates of degradation of the CDC4, TCM1, and PAB1 mRNAs three- to fivefold, and increase the relative number of ribosomes associated with mRNAs and the overall size of polysomes. These results were analogous to those observed for cycloheximide-treated cells and are generally consistent with models that invoke a role for translational elongation in the process of mRNA turnover.
The study of kinetic characteristics of the reaction of tRNA guanine bases with kethoxal has shown that temperature, ionic strength and Mg2+ ions, i.e. factors directly affecting the spatial structure of tRNA, influence also on its internal modification. The modification degree under stabilized spatial tRNA structure depends also on the concentration of kethoxal and is expressed in fractional values of the number of modified guanosine residues per tRNA molecule, which indicates the heterogeneity of tRNA for the modification degree. Chromatography of tRNA1 Val preparation on BD cellulose after the exhaustive modification with kethoxal under conditions of stabilized spatial structure has revealed a fraction of molecules completely resistant to the modificator, and a fraction containing differently modified tRNA molecules. tRNA heterogeneity after the reaction with kethoxal (the presence of resistant and reactive forms) indicates conformational heterogeneity of tRNA, expressed in the simultaneous presence of at least two conformer families.
The interaction of tRNA with 80 S ribosomes from rabbit liver was studied using biochemical as well as fluorescence techniques. Besides the canonical A and P sites, two additional sites were found which specifically bind deacylated tRNA. One of the sites is analogous to the E site of prokaryotic ribosomes, in that binding of tRNA is labile, does not depend on codon-anticodon interaction, does not protect the anticodon loop from solvent access, and requires the presence of the 3'-terminal adenosine of the tRNA. In contrast, the stability of the tRNA complex with the second site (S site) is high. tRNA binding to the S site is also codon-independent; nevertheless, the anticodon loop is shielded from solvent access. Removal of the 3'-terminal adenosine decreases the affinity of tRNA(Phe) for the S site approximately 50-fold. tRNA(Phe) is retained at the S site during translocation and through poly(Phe) synthesis. Thus, the S site does not seem to be an intermediate site for the tRNA during the elongation cycle. Rather, the tRNA bound to the S site may allosterically modulate the function of the ribosome.
Nucleotide residues in E. coli tRNA(Phe) interacting directly with proteins in pre- and posttranslocated ribosomal complexes have been identified by UV-induced cross-linking. In the tRNA(Phe) molecule located in the Ab-site (pretranslocated complex) residues A9, G18, A26 and U59 are cross-linked with proteins S10, L27, S7 and L2, respectively. In tRNA(Phe) located in the Pt-site (posttranslocated complex) residues C17, G44, C56 and U60 are cross-linked with proteins L2, L5, L27 and S9, respectively. The same cross-links (except for G44-L5) have been found for tRNA in the Pb-site of the pretranslocated ribosomal complex. None of the tRNA(Phe) residues cross-linked with proteins in the complexes examined by us are involved in the stabilization of the secondary structure, but residues A9, G18, A26, G44 and C56 participate in stabilization of tRNA tertiary structure. Since translocation of tRNA(Phe) from Ab- to P-site is accompanied by changes of tRNA contacts with proteins L2 and L27, we postulate that this translocation is coupled with tRNA turn around the axis joining the anticodon loop with the CCA-end of the molecule. This is in agreement with the idea about the presence of a kink in mRNA between codons located in the ribosomal A- and P-sites. In all E. coli tRNAs with known primary structure positions 18 and 56, interacting with L27 protein, when tRNA is located either in A- or P-site, are invariant, whereas positions 17 and 60, interacting with proteins only when tRNA is in the P-site, are strongly conserved. In positions 9, 26 and 59 purines are the preferred residues. In most E. coli tRNAs deviations from the consensus in these three positions is strongly correlated.
Streptomyces bldA gene, which encodes a tRNA corresponding to a very minor leucine codon, UUA, regulates pleiotropic gene expression which is involved in sporulation and secondary metabolism. The unique structural feature of this tRNA is the lack of GG sequence in dihydrouridine loop (D-loop) that generally is conserved in tRNAs involved in cytoplasmic protein biosynthesis. In order to investigate the relationship between the D-loop structure and the stability and leucine accepting activity of this tRNA, the wild and D-loop mutant tRNA transcripts were constructed with T7 RNA polymerase in vitro. The wild type tRNA(UUALeu) showed the structural stability and leucine accepting activity at physiological temperature for Streptomyces. The E.coli type D-loop mutant, which has a larger loop size and contains a GG doublet, exhibited increased thermostability. The kinetical analyses of the aminoacylation reaction of tRNA(UUALeu) with S.lividans and E.coli leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS) suggest there is a unique recognition mechanism of Streptomyces LeuRS toward tRNA(UUALeu).
The role of cations (polyamines and Mg2+) in isoleucyl-tRNA formation catalyzed by purified isolecuyl-tRNA synthetase [EC 6.1.1.5] from Escherichia coli was studied. It was found that spermine, spermidine, and Mg2+ bind to tRNA and that when bound to these cations, tRNA acts as substrate of aminoacylation without requiring further cations. These findings suggest that the primary function of cations in aminoacyl-tRNA formation is to bind to tRNA to stabilize its structure, not to bind to the enzyme to activate it.
The microinjection technique affords us the possibility to introduce purified components into living cells and to answer the question of what effects the change introduced has on cellular metabolism. This technique can therefore be used to test the hypothesis that transfer RNA plays a regulatory role in cellular protein synthesis. Prior to these experiments it is important, however, to test whether transfer RNA microinjected into amphibian oocytes is stable and functional inside this cells. These two questions are answered affirmatively in this report. The stability of tRNA was tested by following the content of TCA precipitable counts inside the oocytes at different times after microinjection of radioactive yeast and E. coli tRNA and by polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis of the material recovered from the cell. The results clearly indicate that tRNAs are resistant to the action of occyte ribonucleases that degrade other RNAs such as 5S RNA. The functionality of the injected tRNA was tested by assaying the intracellular aminoacylation of microinjected yeast tRNA. The aminoacylation of bulk yeast (3H) tRNA introduced into Xenopus laevis oocytes was tested by the capacity of the material recovered 5 hours after injection into the cell to form a ternary complex with wheat protein synthesis elongation factor 1 and GTP. The complex only forms with aminoacyl-tRNA and not with unacylated tRNA. This method showed that at least 80% of the tRNA introduced into the cell was aminoacylated in vivo. A direct assay for internal aminoacylation made use of microinjection of pure tRNAPhe and subsequent determination by phenol extraction of (14C)Phe-tRNA content of oocytes that had been incubated for 2 hours in a medium containing (14C)phenylalanine. The results obtained showed that the oocytes could internally aminoacylate 200-500 times more tRNAPhe that the cell normally contains. Appropiate controls demonstrated that the aminoacylation was aminoacid and tRNA specific and that periodate oxidized tRNAPhe could not be in vivo aminoacylated but tRNAPhe deprived of its Y base could accept the aminoacid. A brief study demonstrated that bulk yeast tRNA and tRNAPhe without its Y base did not inhibit endogenous protein synthesis but a similar amount of tRNAPhe caused 50% inhibition and periodate-oxidized tRNAPhe a 95% inhibition.
The extent of esterification of [14C] leucine into Escherichia coli B tRNALeu apparently depends on the concentration of leucyl-tRNA synthetase. The effect is more pronounced at pH 9.0 than at pH 7.4. When reciprocals of leucyl-tRNA concentration at plateau [aa-tRNA]-1 are plotted against reciprocals of initial velocities vo-1 of aminoacylations a straight line is obtained with a slope equal to the rate constant of non-enzymatic deacylation of leucyl-tRNA. Factors which change the stability of leucyl-tRNA, e.g. pH and temperature, also change the shape of the function [aa-tRNA]-1 vs. vo-1. The data are consistent with the idea that the rate constant of spontaneous deacylation of aminoacyl-tRNA is the factor which accounts for the dependence of the level of aminoacylation on initial velocity of aminoacylation.
Dysregulation of the epitranscriptomic landscape is closely linked to pathological proliferation, but its specific role in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) remains unclear. Here, we identify the tRNA methyltransferase TRMT61A as a critical driver of BPH progression. We found that TRMT61A and global N1-methyladenosine (m1A) levels are aberrantly upregulated in human BPH tissues. Functionally, TRMT61A knockdown potently suppresses prostate cell proliferation and reduces stromal fibrosis, inducing G1 cell cycle arrest and reversing pathological remodeling both in vitro and in vivo. By integrating ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) and tRNA-seq, we observed that TRMT61A drives translational reprogramming. TRMT61A preserves the stability of specific tRNA isoacceptors (e.g., tRNA-Leu-CAA), which is required for the efficient decoding of mRNAs containing m1A-dependent codons. Consequently, TRMT61A selectively promotes the translational elongation of the key receptor TGFβR1. This amplifies downstream TGF-β/SMAD signaling and drives epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) without affecting mRNA transcription. In summary, our study reveals how TRMT61A drives BPH progression through TGFβR1 translation, highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting epitranscriptomic pathways to reverse prostatic hyperplasia and fibrosis.
The properties of native and of two modified tRNA Val species in the correction of misactivated threonine by valyl-tRNA synthetase have been studied. Whereas Thr-tRNA Val-C-C-A could not be isolated in the valyl-tRNA synthetase catalyzed reaction, Thr-tRNA Val-C-C-3'dA is isolable in up to 50% yield in this system and tRNA Val-C-C-3'NH2A is fully aminoacylated with threonine by the same enzyme. The hydrolysis of preformed Thr-tRNA Val-C-C-A by free valyl-tRNA synthetase is 30 times faster than the corresponding breakdown of Val-tRNA Val-C-C-A. This hydrolytic activity is also observed with Thr-tRNA Val-C-C-3'dA although the rate is reduce to that of the reaction of Val-tRNA Val-C-C-A. Modification of the threonine to O-methylthreonine, which is also a substrate for valyl-tRNA synthetase, leads to stabilization of the O-methylthreonyl-tRNA esters. The AMP/PP independent hydrolysis under aminoacylating conditions, which is a measure of the correction process, indicates that O-MeThr-tRNA Val-C-C-A is only very slowly corrected while the tRNA Val-C-C-3'dA and tRNA Val-C-C-3'NH2A esters are completely stable. Removal of the methoxy group of O-methylthreonine as in alpha-amino-butyric acid increases the rate of the hydrolytic reaction and once again alpha-Abu-tRNA Val-C-C-A and alpha-Abu-tRNA Val-C-C-3'dA are unstable under aminoacylating conditions and not isolable.
The effect of some olygo- and polynucleotides on the dissociation rate of the 14C-aminoacyl-tRNA - ribosome complex was investigated. Polyuridylic and polycytidylic acids were shown to accelerate significantly dissociation of the complex of lysyl- and phenylalanyl-tRNA with native ribosomes, but not to affect the complexes of these aminoacyl-tRNA's with 50S subunits. It is proposed that the template polynucleotides decrease the affinity of ribosomes to tRNA by association with the mRNA-binding site on 30S subunits.
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