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Waltz F, Salinas-Giegé T, Englmeier R, Meichel H, Soufari H, Kuhn L, Pfeffer S, Förster F, Engel BD, Giegé P, Drouard L, Hashem Y. How to build a ribosome from RNA fragments in Chlamydomonas mitochondria. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7176. [PMID: 34887394 PMCID: PMC8660880 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27200-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are the powerhouse of eukaryotic cells. They possess their own gene expression machineries where highly divergent and specialized ribosomes, named hereafter mitoribosomes, translate the few essential messenger RNAs still encoded by mitochondrial genomes. Here, we present a biochemical and structural characterization of the mitoribosome in the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, as well as a functional study of some of its specific components. Single particle cryo-electron microscopy resolves how the Chlamydomonas mitoribosome is assembled from 13 rRNA fragments encoded by separate non-contiguous gene pieces. Additional proteins, mainly OPR, PPR and mTERF helical repeat proteins, are found in Chlamydomonas mitoribosome, revealing the structure of an OPR protein in complex with its RNA binding partner. Targeted amiRNA silencing indicates that these ribosomal proteins are required for mitoribosome integrity. Finally, we use cryo-electron tomography to show that Chlamydomonas mitoribosomes are attached to the inner mitochondrial membrane via two contact points mediated by Chlamydomonas-specific proteins. Our study expands our understanding of mitoribosome diversity and the various strategies these specialized molecular machines adopt for membrane tethering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Waltz
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, U1212 Inserm, Université de Bordeaux, 2 rue R. Escarpit, 33600, Pessac, France
- Institut de biologie moléculaire des plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du général Zimmer, 67084, Strasbourg, France
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Thalia Salinas-Giegé
- Institut de biologie moléculaire des plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du général Zimmer, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Robert Englmeier
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Herrade Meichel
- Institut de biologie moléculaire des plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du général Zimmer, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Heddy Soufari
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, U1212 Inserm, Université de Bordeaux, 2 rue R. Escarpit, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Lauriane Kuhn
- Plateforme protéomique Strasbourg Esplanade FRC1589 du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stefan Pfeffer
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Friedrich Förster
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin D Engel
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Philippe Giegé
- Institut de biologie moléculaire des plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du général Zimmer, 67084, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Laurence Drouard
- Institut de biologie moléculaire des plantes, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du général Zimmer, 67084, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Yaser Hashem
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, U1212 Inserm, Université de Bordeaux, 2 rue R. Escarpit, 33600, Pessac, France.
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Waltz F, Giegé P. Striking Diversity of Mitochondria-Specific Translation Processes across Eukaryotes. Trends Biochem Sci 2019; 45:149-162. [PMID: 31780199 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria are essential organelles that act as energy conversion powerhouses and metabolic hubs. Their gene expression machineries combine traits inherited from prokaryote ancestors and specific features acquired during eukaryote evolution. Mitochondrial research has wide implications ranging from human health to agronomy. We highlight recent advances in mitochondrial translation. Functional, biochemical, and structural data have revealed an unexpected diversity of mitochondrial translation systems, particularly of their key players, the mitochondrial ribosomes (mitoribosomes). Ribosome assembly and translation mechanisms, such as initiation, are discussed and put in perspective with the prevalence of eukaryote-specific families of mitochondrial translation factors such as pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Waltz
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67084 Strasbourg, France; Institut Européen de Chimie et de Biologie, l'Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université de Bordeaux, 2 rue Robert Escarpit, 33607 Pessac, France.
| | - Philippe Giegé
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
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Lavrov DV, Pett W, Voigt O, Wörheide G, Forget L, Lang BF, Kayal E. Mitochondrial DNA of Clathrina clathrus (Calcarea, Calcinea): six linear chromosomes, fragmented rRNAs, tRNA editing, and a novel genetic code. Mol Biol Evol 2012; 30:865-80. [PMID: 23223758 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mss274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sponges (phylum Porifera) are a large and ancient group of morphologically simple but ecologically important aquatic animals. Although their body plan and lifestyle are relatively uniform, sponges show extensive molecular and genetic diversity. In particular, mitochondrial genomes from three of the four previously studied classes of Porifera (Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, and Homoscleromorpha) have distinct gene contents, genome organizations, and evolutionary rates. Here, we report the mitochondrial genome of Clathrina clathrus (Calcinea, Clathrinidae), a representative of the fourth poriferan class, the Calcarea, which proves to be the most unusual. Clathrina clathrus mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) consists of six linear chromosomes 7.6-9.4 kb in size and encodes at least 37 genes: 13 protein codings, 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and 24 transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Protein genes include atp9, which has now been found in all major sponge lineages, but no atp8. Our analyses further reveal the presence of a novel genetic code that involves unique reassignments of the UAG codons from termination to tyrosine and of the CGN codons from arginine to glycine. Clathrina clathrus mitochondrial rRNAs are encoded in three (srRNA) and ≥6 (lrRNA) fragments distributed out of order and on several chromosomes. The encoded tRNAs contain multiple mismatches in the aminoacyl acceptor stems that are repaired posttranscriptionally by 3'-end RNA editing. Although our analysis does not resolve the phylogenetic position of calcareous sponges, likely due to their high rates of mitochondrial sequence evolution, it confirms mtDNA as a promising marker for population studies in this group. The combination of unusual mitochondrial features in C. clathrus redefines the extremes of mtDNA evolution in animals and further argues against the idea of a "typical animal mtDNA."
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis V Lavrov
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Iowa, USA.
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Fan J, Schnare MN, Lee RW. Characterization of fragmented mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs of the colorless green alga Polytomella parva. Nucleic Acids Res 2003; 31:769-78. [PMID: 12527787 PMCID: PMC140509 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkg144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We have identified previously in mitochondrial DNA of the colorless, chlorophycean, green algal taxon, Polytomella parva, potential coding regions for four small subunit (SSU) and eight large subunit (LSU) rRNA fragments. In this study with P.parva, we isolated RNA from a mitochondrial-enriched preparation, characterized the 12 mitochondrial rRNA transcripts by either northern blot analysis or chemical sequencing and performed secondary structure modeling of the SSU and LSU rRNA sequences. The results show the following features about the mitochondrial SSU and LSU rRNAs of P.parva: (i) they are considerably shorter than their homologs from other green algae, although the main domains typical of conventional rRNAs are conserved; (ii) the rRNA fragmentation pattern is most similar to that of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii among green algae that have been characterized; (iii) three nucleotides are missing from the normally highly conserved GTPase center of the LSU rRNA; and (iv) post-transcriptional modification of the 3'-terminal region of the SSU rRNA is unusual in that it has the 'eubacterial' 3-methyluridine (corresponding to m(3)U at Escherichia coli 16S rRNA position 1498) but lacks the more highly conserved modifications at two adjacent A residues (corresponding to N(6),N(6)-dimethyladenosine at E.coli 16S rRNA positions 1518 and 1519). This is the first report of the characterization by direct sequencing of fragmented mitochondrial rRNAs from a green alga.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshui Fan
- Biology Department, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4J1, Canada
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Abstract
Mitochondrial genomes have been sequenced from a wide variety of organisms, including an increasing number of parasites. They maintain some characteristics in common across the spectrum of life-a common core of genes related to mitochondrial respiration being most prominent-but have also developed a great diversity of gene content, organisation, and expression machineries. The characteristics of mitochondrial genomes vary widely among the different groups of protozoan parasites, from the minute genomes of the apicomplexans to amoebae with 20 times as many genes. Kinetoplastid protozoa have a similar number of genes to metazoans, but the details of gene organisation and expression in kinetoplastids require extraordinary mechanisms. Mitochondrial genes in nematodes and trematodes appear quite sedate in comparison, but a closer look shows a strong tendency to unusual tRNA structure and alternative initiation codons among these groups. Mitochondrial genes are increasingly coming into play as aids to phylogenetic and epidemiologic analyses, and mitochondrial functions are being recognised as potential drug targets. In addition, examination of mitochondrial genomes is producing further insights into the diversity of the wide-ranging group of organisms comprising the general category of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Feagin
- Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, 4 Nickerson St., Seattle, WA 98109-1651, USA.
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