X-ray analysis of ribosomes: the static of the dynamic

This review considers a brief history, comments, and consequences of recent remarkable achievements: X-ray analysis on the level of atomic resolution of structures of bacterial ribosomes, their subunits, and functional complexes.

[Study of the binding of the S7 protein with 16S rRNA fragment 926-986/1219-1393 as a key step in the assembly of the small subunit of prokaryotic ribosomes]

Both structural and thermodynamic studies are necessary to understand the ribosome assembly. An initial step was made in studying the interaction between a 16S rRNA fragment and S7, a key protein in assembling the prokaryotic ribosome small subunit. The apparent dissociation constant was obtained for complexes of recombinant Escherichia coli and Thermus thermophilus S7 with a fragment of the 3' domain of the E. coli 16S rRNA. Both proteins showed a high rRNA-binding activity, which was not observed earlier. Since RNA and proteins are conformationally labile, their folding must be considered to correctly describe the RNA-protein interactions.

Neuronal BC1 RNA structure: evolutionary conversion of a tRNA(Ala) domain into an extended stem-loop structure

By chemical and enzymatic probing, we have analyzed the secondary structure of rodent BC1 RNA, a small brain-specific non-messenger RNA. BC1 RNA is specifically transported into dendrites of neuronal cells, where it is proposed to play a role in regulation of translation near synapses. In this study we demonstrate that the 5' domain of BC1 RNA, derived from tRNA(Ala), does not fold into the predicted canonical tRNA cloverleaf structure. We present evidence that by changing bases within the tRNA(Ala) domain during the course of evolution, an extended stem-loop structure has been created in BC1 RNA. The new structural domain might function, in part, as a putative binding site for protein(s) involved in dendritic transport of BC1 RNA within neurons. Furthermore, BC1 RNA contains, in addition to the extended stem-loop structure, an internal poly(A)-rich region that is supposedly single stranded, followed by a second smaller stem-loop structure at the 3' end of the RNA. The three distinct structural domains reflect evolutionary legacies of BC1 RNA.

A direct photo-activated affinity modification of tetracycline transcription repressor protein TetR(D) with tetracycline(1)

Results of a first successful application of a direct photo-induced affinity modification of Tet repressor (TetR(D)) protein with tetracycline within a complex of known three-dimensional structure are described. The conditions of the modification have provided suitable yields of the modified complex and allowed characterization of the modified segments of the protein. The potential of tetracycline as a fine modifying reagent was established. In the complex of TetR(D) protein with tetracycline, the antibiotic modifies at least two segments, Ile59-Glu73 and Ala173-Glu183, which form a binding tunnel for the drug according to the X-ray analysis. These data open possibilities for the use of different tetracycline targets for structural studies in solution.

A study of the thermophilic ribosomal protein S7 binding to the truncated S12-S7 intercistronic region provides more insight into the mechanism of regulation of the str operon of E. coli(1)

A study of the ability of His6-tagged ribosomal protein S7 of Thermus thermophilus to interact with the truncated S12-S7 intercistronic region of str mRNA of Escherichia coli has been described. A minimal S7 binding mRNA fragment is a part of the composite hairpin, with the termination codon of the S12 cistron on one side and the initiation codon of the next S7 cistron on the other. It has a length in the range of 63-103 nucleotides. The 63 nucleotide mRNA fragment, which corresponds to a putative S7 binding site, binds very poorly with S7. Tight RNA structure models, which behave as integral systems and link the S7 binding site with the translational regulation region of the hairpin, are suggested. This observation provides more insight into the mechanism of S7-directed autogenous control of translational coupling of str mRNA.

An extremely high conservation of RNA-protein S7 interactions during prokaryotic ribosomal biogenesis

Direct determination of RNA-protein complex structures is often facilitated by the use of thermophilic proteins; however E. coli is the most investigated system so far. A hybrid approach is to form heterologous complexes of E. coli RNA with thermophilic proteins. The rationale for this approach to RNA-protein interactions in ribosomes is based on the ability of the thermophilic protein S7 to replace a homologous counterpart in vivo. In vitro, the protein S7 of Thermus thermophilus is able to form complexes with both the minimal 16S rRNA fragment and the intercistronic region of the str operon mRNA from E. coli (Kd = 1.4 x 10(7) M and 1.1 x 10(-7) M respectively). The interaction of Thermus S7 with the E. coli intercistronic mRNA is surprising, because this region does not exist in the thermophilic str operon. It suggests a high degree of conservation of an RNA-binding site on S7.

In vivo assembly of plasmid-expressed ribosomal protein S7 of Thermus thermophilus into Escherichia coli ribosomes and conditions of its overexpression

Researchers still have great difficulty in isolating individual ribosomal proteins from the ribosome in quantities high enough for structural research. To this end, when studying protein S7, we created an E. coli overproducer of the recombinant protein S7 of Thermus thermophilus. The vector for expression was pQE-32 having a strong promoter of E. coli phage T5 and six triplets of His at the 5'-end. This N-terminal six His tag of the fusion protein is responsible for binding to Ni-NTA-resin and allows purifying the protein in one step. The yield of the recombinant protein was 20% and more of the total cellular proteins. In addition we have shown that the recombinant thermophilic protein is incorporated in vivo into the ribosome of E. coli despite the fact that these proteins (thermophilic and mesophilic) have a rather low homology, only 52%. This fact provides a base for the system to study functions of individual proteins.

Segment selection during 'phase variation'-type regulation of gene replacement mediated by FLP recombinase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

FLP recombinase has recently been used as a tool to direct the exchange between invertible DNA segments, called 'Phase variation'-type regulation of gene replacement in eukaryotic cells. Using an appropriate selective medium, positive segment selection was shown to be efficient during the regulation of gene replacement. The efficiency was determined from the copy number ratio of invertible segments with the use of the neomycinphosphotransferase II (NPTII) gene bearing invertible segments located on the episomal yeast plasmid, and the resident 2-microns circle. Without the selection the segments copy number ratio was retained in growing cells. The results obtained are an evidence for the efficiency of positive segment selection during the 'Phase variation'-type regulation of gene replacement in eukaryotic cells.

'Phase variation'-type regulation of gene expression and gene replacement mediated by FLP recombinase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Expression of a neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) gene has been designed to be regulated by an FLP-mediated switching of the orientation of the NPTII coding region located on the invertible DNA segment in episomal yeast plasmids. Inversion of the segment from inverted to direct orientation with respect to the promoter resulted in a dramatic increase in G418 resistance. FLP also promoted a double reciprocal exchange between the transforming and the resident 2-microns plasmid, leading to insertion of the FLP and REP2 genes into the transforming plasmid. The results demonstrate a possible use of FLP recombinase for 'phase variation'-type regulation of gene expression and gene replacement in eukaryotic cells.

Photochemical cross-linking of the anticodon loop of yeast tRNA(Phe) to 30S-subunit protein S7 at the ribosomal A and P sites

Yeast tRNA(Phe), containing the photoreactive nucleoside 2-azidoadenosine at position 37 within the anticodon loop, has been cross-linked to the aminoacyl-tRNA (A) and peptidyl-tRNA (P) binding sites of the Escherichia coli ribosome. The 30S subunit was exclusively labeled in each case, and cross-linking occurred to both protein and 16S rRNA. Electrophoretic and immunological analyses demonstrated that S7 was the only 30S-subunit protein covalently attached to the tRNA. However, digestion of the A and P site-labeled S7 with trypsin revealed a unique pattern of cross-linked peptide(s) at each site. Thus, while the anticodon loop of tRNA is in close proximity to protein S7 at both the A and P sites, it neighbors a different portion of the protein molecule in each. The placement of the aminoacyl- and peptidyl-tRNA binding sites is discussed in relationship to recent models of the 30S ribosomal subunit.

Identification of the Escherichia coli 30S ribosomal subunit protein neighboring mRNA during initiation of translation

To identify the proteins of the 30S ribosomal subunit of E coli that neighbor mRNA in the ternary initiation complex (mRNA*30S subunit*tRNA(fMet), we used an affinity cross-linking approach in which photoactivated groups were attached to different positions along the mRNA chain. A series of mini-genes originating from the 5'-end region of the cro gene of lambda bacteriophage were constructed as templates for mini-mRNA synthesis. Two strategies were used to introduce photo-reactive agents into the message. According to the first, two transcripts were isolated from E coli and chemically derivatized at their 5'-ends with a photoinducible diaziril group. One of these messages allowed for localization of the 5'-end of the Shine-Dalgarno sequence while the other one allowed for labeling of the ribosome at the 5'-end side of the initiation AUG codon in the P site. According to the second approach, 5-azidouridine (5N3U) was randomly incorporated into mRNA transcripts during a T7 RNA polymerase catalyzed reaction by using a mixture of 5N3UTP and UTP. A message that had U residues at either -4, -3, -1, +2 and +14, +19, +20 positions was used (A from cro AUG is +1). Whereas cross-links with the 5N3U transcripts were essentially 'zero-length', the 5'-derivatized transcripts were covalently attached to ribosomal components about 14 A from the 5'-end. We found that proteins S1, S7, S5, S3 and S4 compose, or were close to, the ribosomal mRNA-binding site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Synthesis in E. coli cells of short RNA encoded in plasmids]

The synthesis of 5S rRNA and 4.5S RNA in E. coli HB 101 cells harbouring plasmids pKK 5-1 and pKK 247-2 was studied. The plasmids were derived from pBK 322 and contained genes coding for 5S rRNA and 4.5S RNA with regulatory elements of an rRNA transcription operon rrn B. When the cells were grown on enriched or minimal media (2 and 0.3 duplications per hour), the synthesis of both 5S rRNA and 4.5S RNA was proportional to the gene dosage and was greater in the plasmid than in the host strain. Such RNA accumulation did not change the cell growth parameters and was thus not toxic for the cells. At high growth rates, the RNA synthesis in the cells became excessive, and the processing system was upset with the accumulation of RNA precursors. The fact confirms the hypothesis, according to which the whole rRNA operon is essential for its own feedback regulation.

The nucleotide sequence of the gene coding for the 16S rRNA from the archaebacterium Halobacterium halobium

The complete 1473-bp sequence of the 16S rRNA gene from the archaebacterium Halobacterium halobium has been determined. Alignment with the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene from the archaebacteria Halobacterium volcanii and Halococcus morrhua reveals similar degrees of homology, about 88%. Differences in the primary structures of H. halobium and eubacterial (Escherichia coli) 16S rRNA or eukaryotic (Dictyostelium discoideum) 18S rRNA are much higher, corresponding to 63% and 56% homology, respectively. A comparison of the nucleotide sequence of the H. halobium 16S rRNA with those of its archaebacterial counterparts generally confirms a secondary structure model of the RNA contained in the small subunit of the archaebacterial ribosome.

Probing the structure of 16 S ribosomal RNA from Bacillus brevis

A majority (approximately 89%) of the nucleotide sequence of Bacillus brevis 16 S rRNA has been determined by a combination of RNA sequencing methods. Several experimental approaches have been used to probe its structure, including (a) partial RNase digestion of 30 S ribosomal subunits, followed by two-dimensional native/denatured gel electrophoresis, in which base-paired fragments were directly identified; (b) identification of positions susceptible to cleavage by RNase A and RNase T1 in 30 S subunits; (c) sites of attack by cobra venom RNase on naked 16 S rRNA; and (d) nucleotides susceptible to attack by bisulfite in 16 S rRNA. These data are discussed with respect to a secondary structure model for B. brevis 16 S rRNA derived by comparative sequence analysis.

[Mapping of the 16S rRNA regions in ribosomes capable of complementary binding of oligonucleotides]

16S rRNA regions have been mapped on the surface of the 30S ribosomal subunit of E. coli due to their ability to bind the statistical mixture of hexadeoxyribonucleotides and thus to be hydrolyzed with RNAase H. These regions were found to be located around 80, 996-998, 1044-1046, 1408-1410, 1423, 1484-1485, 1495, 1500-1506, 1531-1532 16S rRNA nucleotide residues.

Secondary structure model for 23S ribosomal RNA

A secondary structure model for 23S ribosomal RNA has been constructed on the basis of comparative sequence data, including the complete sequences from E. coli. Bacillus stearothermophilis, human and mouse mitochondria and several partial sequences. The model has been tested extensively with single strand-specific chemical and enzymatic probes. Long range base-paired interactions organize the molecule into six major structural domains containing over 100 individual helices in all. Regions containing the sites of interaction with several ribosomal proteins and 5S RNA have been located. Segments of the 23S RNA structure corresponding to eucaryotic 5.8S and 25 RNA have been identified, and base paired interactions in the model suggest how they are attached to 28S RNA. Functionally important regions, including possible sites of contact with 30S ribosomal subunits, the peptidyl transferase center and locations of intervening sequences in various organisms are discussed. Models for molecular 'switching' of RNA molecules based on coaxial stacking of helices are presented, including a scheme for tRNA-23S RNA interaction.