Context effects: translation of UAG codon by suppressor tRNA is affected by the sequence following UAG in the message

Defined set of cloned termination suppressors: in vivo activity of isogenetic UAG, UAA, and UGA suppressor tRNAs

We have cloned an isogenetic set of UAG, UAA, and UGA suppressors. These include the Su7 -UAG, Su7 -UAA, and Su7 -UGA suppressors derived from base substitutions in the anticodon of Escherichia coli tRNATrp and also Su9 , a UGA suppressor derived from a base substitution in the D-arm of the same tRNA. These genes are cloned on high-copy-number plasmids under lac promoter control. The construction of the Su7 -UAG plasmid and the wild-type trpT plasmid have been previously described ( Yarus , et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:5092-5097, 1980). Su7 -UAA ( trpT177 ) is a weak suppressor which recognizes both UAA and UAG nonsense codons and probably inserts glutamine. Su7 -UGA ( trpT176 ) is a strong UGA suppressor which may insert tryptophan. Su9 ( trpT178 ) is a moderately strong UGA suppressor which also recognizes UGG (Trp) codons, and it inserts tryptophan. The construction of these plasmids is detailed within. Data on the DNA sequences of these trpT alleles and on amino acid specificity of the suppressors are presented. The efficiency of the cloned suppressors at certain nonsense mutations has been measured and is discussed with respect to the context of these codons.

Codon context effects in missense suppression

After our first observation of codon context effects in missense suppression ( Murgola & Pagel , 1983), we measured the suppression of missense mutations at two positions in trpA in Escherichia coli. The suppressible codons in the trpA messenger RNA were the lysine codons, AAA and AAG, and the glutamic acid codons, GAA and GAG. The mRNA sites of the codons correspond to amino acids 211 and 234 of the trpA polypeptide, positions at which glycine is the wild-type amino acid. Our data demonstrated codon context effects with both pairs of codons. The results indicate that suppression of AAA and AAG by mutant lysine transfer RNAs was more efficient at 211 than at 234, whereas suppression of GAA and GAG by two different mutant glycine tRNAs was more efficient at 234 than at 211. In general, the context effects were more pronounced with GAG and AAG than with GAA and AAA. (In some instances it appeared that suppression of GAA or AAA at a given position was more effective than suppression of GAG or AAG.) By contrast, no context effects were observed with a glyT suppressor of AAA and AAG, a glyT GAA/G-suppressor, and a glyU suppressor of GAG. Our observation of this phenomenon in missense suppression demonstrates that codon context can affect polypeptide elongation and that the effects can be different depending on the codons and tRNAs examined. It is suggested that tRNA-tRNA interaction on the ribosome is involved in the observed context effects.

An effect of codon context on the mistranslation of UGU codons in vitro

Effects of codon context on nonsense codon suppression may act either through release factor recognition of termination codons or aminoacyl-tRNA selection by the ribosome. The latter hypothesis has been studied by comparing misreading by Escherichia coli UGA suppressor tryptophan tRNA of UGU (cysteine) codons in two synthetic polymers, poly(U-G) and poly( U5 , G), which differ in sequence around the UGU codons. In vitro translation of these polymers in a cell-free system from E. coli yielded selection errors of 4 X 10(-3) and 1.75 X 10(-2) for UGU codons in poly(U-G) and poly( U5 , G), respectively. This difference suggests that codon context may significantly affect misincorporation of amino acids into protein.

Construction of a UGA suppressor tRNA by modification in vitro of yeast tRNACys

In this paper we describe the construction of a yeast tRNACys UGA suppressor. After specific hydrolysis of the parent molecule, the first base of the anticodon GCA was replaced by a uracil. The resulting molecule, harboring a UCA anticodon, was injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes in order to test its biological activities. The level of aminoacylation was similar to that of the parent molecule. Readthrough of the UGA termination codon in beta-globin mRNA, coinjected with the tRNA, indicated suppressor activity; however, tRNACys (anticodon UCA) was a much less efficient suppressor than others tested under the same conditions. We see no post-transcriptional modification of the uracil in the anticodon wobble position after injection into oocytes. This may be related to the low suppressor activity; however, it is also possible that other features of tRNACys structure may be unadapted to efficient UCA anticodon function.

Resolution of the discrepancy between a gene translation--termination codon and the deduced sequence for release of the encoded polypeptide

The translation-termination codon of the synthetase gene of the RNA phage MS2 has been determined, by nucleotide sequencing and suppression studies in vitro, to be UAG. However in one of the only two studies on the signals for polypeptide chain release at the end of genes, Capecchi and Klein [(1970) Nature (Lond.) 226, 1029-1033] deduced that the synthetase of an almost identical phage, R17, is released at UAA. Here we show that under certain conditions the synthetase is released at the UAG terminator but that this UAG is especially prone to read-through with resulting release at the downstream UAA codon. The possible significance of the UAG being in a context prone to leakiness is discussed but is unresolved.

Measurement of suppressor transfer RNA activity

Transfer RNA (tRNA) suppression of nonsense mutations in prokaryotic systems has been widely used to study the structure and function of different prokaryotic genes. Through genetic engineering techniques, it is now possible to introduce suppressor (Su+) tRNA molecules into mammalian cells. A quantitative assay of the suppressor tRNA activity in these mammalian cells is described; it is based on the amount of tRNA-mediated readthrough of a terminating codon in the influenza virus NS1 gene after the cells are infected with virus. Suppressor activity in L cells continuously expressing Su+ (tRNAtyr) was 3.5 percent and that in CV-1 cells infected with an SV40- Su+ (tRNAtyr) recombinant was 22.5 percent.

Effects of surrounding sequence on the suppression of nonsense codons

Using a lacI-Z fusion system, we have determined the efficiency of suppression of nonsense codons in the I gene of Escherichia coli by assaying beta-galactosidase activity. We examined the efficiency of four amber suppressors acting on 42 different amber (UAG) codons at known positions in the I gene, and the efficiency of a UAG suppressor at 14 different UGA codons. The largest effects were found with the amber suppressor supE (Su2), which displayed efficiencies that varied over a 35-fold range, and with the UGA suppressor, which displayed a 170-fold variation in efficiency. Certain UGA sites were so poorly suppressed (less than 0.2%) by the UGA suppressor that they were not originally detected as nonsense mutations. Suppression efficiency can be correlated with the sequence on the 3' side of the codon being suppressed, and in many cases with the first base on the 3' side. In general, codons followed by A or G are well suppressed, and codons followed by U or C are poorly suppressed. There are exceptions, however, since codons followed by CUG or CUC are well suppressed. Models explaining the effect of the surrounding sequence on suppression efficiency are considered in the Discussion and in the accompanying paper.