Post-Transcriptional Modifications of RNA: Impact on RNA Function and Human Health

Physical Chemistry of a Single tRNA-Modified Nucleoside Regulates Decoding of the Synonymous Lysine Wobble Codon and Affects Type 2 Diabetes

The 2-methylthio-modification (ms²-) of N⁶-threonylcarbonyladenosine (t⁶A₃₇) at position-37 (ms²t⁶A₃₇) in tRNA_UUU^Lys3 provides the needed stability between the tRNA anticodon and the human insulin mRNA codon AAG during translation, as determined by molecular dynamics simulation. Single-nucleoside polymorphisms of the human gene for the enzyme, Cdkal1 that post-transcriptionally modifies t⁶A₃₇ to ms²t⁶A₃₇ in tRNA_UUU^Lys3, correlate with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Without the ms²-modification, tRNA_UUU^Lys3 is incapable of correctly translating the insulin mRNA AAG codon for lysine at the site of protease cleavage between the A-chain and the C-peptide. By enhancing anticodon/codon cross-strand stacking, the ms²-modification adds stability through van der Waals interactions and dehydration of the ASL loop and cavity of the anticodon/codon minihelix but does not add hydrogen bonding of any consequence. Thus, the modifying enzyme Cdkal1, by adding a crucial ms²-group to tRNA_UUU^Lys3-t⁶A₃₇, facilitates the decoding of the AAG codon and enables human pancreatic islets to correctly translate insulin mRNA.

Computational evolution of an RNA-binding protein towards enhanced oxidized-RNA binding

The oxidation of RNA has been implicated in the development of many diseases. Among the four ribonucleotides, guanosine is the most susceptible to oxidation, resulting in the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoG). Despite the limited knowledge about how cells regulate the detrimental effects of oxidized RNA, cellular factors involved in its regulation have begun to be identified. One of these factors is polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), a multifunctional enzyme implicated in RNA turnover. In the present study, we have examined the interaction of PNPase with 8-oxoG in atomic detail to provide insights into the mechanism of 8-oxoG discrimination. We hypothesized that PNPase subunits cooperate to form a binding site using the dynamic SFF loop within the central channel of the PNPase homotrimer. We evolved this site using a novel approach that initially screened mutants from a library of beneficial mutations and assessed their interactions using multi-nanosecond Molecular Dynamics simulations. We found that evolving this single site resulted in a fold change increase in 8-oxoG affinity between 1.2 and 1.5 and/or selectivity between 1.5 and 1.9. In addition to the improvement in 8-oxoG binding, complementation of K12 Δpnp with plasmids expressing mutant PNPases caused increased cell tolerance to H₂O₂. This observation provides a clear link between molecular discrimination of RNA oxidation and cell survival. Moreover, this study provides a framework for the manipulation of modified-RNA protein readers, which has potential application in synthetic biology and epitranscriptomics.

The emerging complexity of the tRNA world: mammalian tRNAs beyond protein synthesis

The discovery of the genetic code and tRNAs as decoders of the code transformed life science. However, after establishing the role of tRNAs in protein synthesis, the field moved to other parts of the RNA world. Now, tRNA research is blooming again, with demonstration of the involvement of tRNAs in various other pathways beyond translation and in adapting translation to environmental cues. These roles are linked to the presence of tRNA sequence variants known as isoacceptors and isodecoders, various tRNA base modifications, the versatility of protein binding partners and tRNA fragmentation events, all of which collectively create an incalculable complexity. This complexity provides a vast repertoire of tRNA species that can serve various functions in cellular homeostasis and in adaptation of cellular functions to changing environments, and it likely arose from the fundamental role of RNAs in early evolution.

Defective Ribonucleoproteins, Mistakes in RNA Processing, and Diseases

Ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) are vital to many cellular events. To this end, many neurodegenerative diseases and cancers have been linked to RNP malfunction, particularly as this relates to defective processing of cellular RNA. The connection of RNPs and diseases has also propagated a shift of focus onto RNA targeting from traditional protein targeting treatments. However, therapeutic development in this area has been limited by incomplete molecular insight into the specific contributions of RNPs to disease. This review outlines the role of several RNPs in diseases, focusing on molecular defects in processes that affect proper RNA handling in the cell. This work also evaluates the contributions of recently developed methods to understanding RNP association and function. We review progress in this area by focusing on molecular malfunctions of RNPs associated with the onset and progression of several neurodegenerative diseases and cancer and conclude with a brief discussion of RNA-based therapeutic efforts.