The ribosome as a versatile catalyst: reactions at the peptidyl transferase center

Genetic structure, UV-vision, wing coloration and size coincide with colour polymorphism in Fabriciana adippe butterflies

Colour polymorphisms have long served as model systems in evolutionary studies and continue to inform about processes involved in the origin and dynamics of biodiversity. Modern sequencing tools allow for evaluating whether phenotypic differences between morphs reflect genetic differentiation rather than developmental plasticity, and for investigating whether polymorphisms represent intermediate stages of diversification towards speciation. We investigated phenotypic and genetic differentiation between two colour morphs of the butterfly Fabriciana adippe using a combination of ddRAD-sequencing and comparisons of body size, colour patterns and optical properties of bright wing spots. The silvery-spotted adippe form had larger and darker wings and reflected UV light, while the yellow cleodoxa form displayed more green scales and reflected very little UV, showcasing that they constitute distinct and alternative integrated phenotypes. Genomic analyses revealed genetic structuring according to source population, and to colour morph, suggesting that the phenotypic differentiation reflects evolutionary modifications. We report 17 outlier loci associated with colour morph, including ultraviolet-sensitive visual pigment (UVRh1), which is associated with intraspecific communication and mate choice in butterflies. Together with the demonstration that the wings of the adippe (but essentially not the cleodoxa) morph reflect UV light, that UV reflectance is higher in females than males and that morphs differ in wing size, this suggests that these colour morphs might represent genetically integrated phenotypes, possibly adapted to different microhabitats. We propose that non-random mating might contribute to the differentiation and maintenance of the polymorphism.

Ribocentre: a database of ribozymes

Ribozymes are excellent systems in which to study 'sequence - structure - function' relationships in RNA molecules. Understanding these relationships may greatly help structural modeling and design of functional RNA structures and some functional structural modules could be repurposed in molecular design. At present, there is no comprehensive database summarising all the natural ribozyme families. We have therefore created Ribocentre, a database that collects together sequence, structure and mechanistic data on 21 ribozyme families. This includes available information on timelines, sequence families, secondary and tertiary structures, catalytic mechanisms, applications of the ribozymes together with key publications. The database is publicly available at https://www.ribocentre.org.

Translation Factor Accelerating Peptide Bond Formation on the Ribosome: EF-P and eIF5A as Entropic Catalysts and a Potential Drug Targets

Elongation factor P (EF-P) and its eukaryotic homolog eIF5A are auxiliary translation factors that facilitate peptide bond formation when several sequential proline (Pro) residues are incorporated into the nascent chain. EF-P and eIF5A bind to the exit (E) site of the ribosome and contribute to favorable entropy of the reaction by stabilizing tRNA binding in the peptidyl transferase center of the ribosome. In most organisms, EF-P and eIF5A carry a posttranslational modification that is crucial for catalysis. The chemical nature of the modification varies between different groups of bacteria and between pro- and eukaryotes, making the EF-P-modification enzymes promising targets for antibiotic development. In this review, we summarize our knowledge of the structure and function of EF-P and eIF5A, describe their modification enzymes, and present an approach for potential drug screening aimed at EarP, an enzyme that is essential for EF-P modification in several pathogenic bacteria.

A Tale of Water Molecules in the Ribosomal Peptidyl Transferase Reaction

The peptidyl transferase center (PTC) in the large subunit of the ribosome plays a critical role in protein synthesis by catalyzing the formation of peptide bonds with an astounding speed of about 15 to 20 peptide bonds per second. The ribosome coordinates the nucleophilic attack and deprotonation in the rate-limiting step at the PTC. However, the details of peptide bond formation within the ribosome, particularly the precise role of the two water molecules in the PTC, remain unclear. Here, we propose a novel stepwise "proton shuttle" mechanism which corroborates all the reported experimental measurements so far. In this mechanism, a water molecule close to A76 of peptidyl-tRNA 2'- and 3'-O stabilizes the transition state. The other one adjacent to the carbonyl oxygen of peptidyl-tRNA actively participates in the proton shuttle, playing the catalytic role of ribosome-catalyzed peptide bond formation.

Ribosomes: The New Role of Ribosomal Proteins as Natural Antimicrobials

Moonlighting proteins are those capable of performing more than one biochemical or biophysical function within the same polypeptide chain. They have been a recent focus of research due to their potential applications in the health, pharmacological, and nutritional sciences. Among them, some ribosomal proteins involved in assembly and protein translation have also shown other functionalities, including inhibiting infectious bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and tumor cells. Therefore, they may be considered antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). However, information regarding the mechanism of action of ribosomal proteins as AMPs is not yet fully understood. Researchers have suggested that the antimicrobial activity of ribosomal proteins may be associated with an increase in intracellular reactive oxidative species (ROS) in target cells, which, in turn, could affect membrane integrity and cause their inactivation and death. Moreover, the global overuse of antibiotics has resulted in an increase in pathogenic bacteria resistant to common antibiotics. Therefore, AMPs such as ribosomal proteins may have potential applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries in the place of antibiotics. This article provides an overview of the potential roles of ribosomes and AMP ribosomal proteins in conjunction with their potential applications.

Druggable differences: Targeting mechanistic differences between trans-translation and translation for selective antibiotic action

Bacteria use trans-translation to rescue stalled ribosomes and target incomplete proteins for proteolysis. Despite similarities between tRNAs and transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA), the key molecule for trans-translation, new structural and biochemical data show important differences between translation and trans-translation at most steps of the pathways. tmRNA and its binding partner, SmpB, bind in the A site of the ribosome but do not trigger the same movements of nucleotides in the rRNA that are required for codon recognition by tRNA. tmRNA-SmpB moves from the A site to the P site of the ribosome without subunit rotation to generate hybrid states, and moves from the P site to a site outside the ribosome instead of to the E site. During catalysis, transpeptidation to tmRNA appears to require the ribosomal protein bL27, which is dispensable for translation, suggesting that this protein may be conserved in bacteria due to trans-translation. These differences provide insights into the fundamental nature of trans-translation, and provide targets for new antibiotics that may have decrease cross-reactivity with eukaryotic ribosomes.

Improving the Efficiency and Orthogonality of Genetic Code Expansion

The site-specific incorporation of the noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) into proteins via genetic code expansion (GCE) has enabled the development of new and powerful ways to learn, regulate, and evolve biological functions in vivo. However, cellular biosynthesis of ncAA-containing proteins with high efficiency and fidelity is a formidable challenge. In this review, we summarize up-to-date progress towards improving the efficiency and orthogonality of GCE and enhancing intracellular compatibility of introduced translation machinery in the living cells by creation and optimization of orthogonal translation components, constructing genomically recoded organism (GRO), utilization of unnatural base pairs (UBP) and quadruplet codons (four-base codons), and spatial separation of orthogonal translation.

The Peptidyl Transferase Center: a Window to the Past

In his 2001 article, "Translation: in retrospect and prospect," the late Carl Woese made a prescient observation that there was a need for the then-current view of translation to be "reformulated to become an all-embracing perspective about which 21st century Biology can develop" (RNA 7:1055-1067, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1017/s1355838201010615). The quest to decipher the origins of life and the road to the genetic code are both inextricably linked with the history of the ribosome. After over 60 years of research, significant progress in our understanding of how ribosomes work has been made. Particularly attractive is a model in which the ribosome may facilitate an ∼180° rotation of the CCA end of the tRNA from the A-site to the P-site while the acceptor stem of the tRNA would then undergo a translation from the A-site to the P-site. However, the central question of how the ribosome originated remains unresolved. Along the path from a primitive RNA world or an RNA-peptide world to a proto-ribosome world, the advent of the peptidyl transferase activity would have been a seminal event. This functionality is now housed within a local region of the large-subunit (LSU) rRNA, namely, the peptidyl transferase center (PTC). The PTC is responsible for peptide bond formation during protein synthesis and is usually considered to be the oldest part of the modern ribosome. What is frequently overlooked is that by examining the origins of the PTC itself, one is likely going back even further in time. In this regard, it has been proposed that the modern PTC originated from the association of two smaller RNAs that were once independent and now comprise a pseudosymmetric region in the modern PTC. Could such an association have survived? Recent studies have shown that the extant PTC is largely depleted of ribosomal protein interactions. It is other elements like metallic ion coordination and nonstandard base/base interactions that would have had to stabilize the association of RNAs. Here, we present a detailed review of the literature focused on the nature of the extant PTC and its proposed ancestor, the proto-ribosome.

Structure of the bacterial ribosome at 2 Å resolution

Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the structure of the Escherichia coli 70S ribosome with a global resolution of 2.0 Å. The maps reveal unambiguous positioning of protein and RNA residues, their detailed chemical interactions, and chemical modifications. Notable features include the first examples of isopeptide and thioamide backbone substitutions in ribosomal proteins, the former likely conserved in all domains of life. The maps also reveal extensive solvation of the small (30S) ribosomal subunit, and interactions with A-site and P-site tRNAs, mRNA, and the antibiotic paromomycin. The maps and models of the bacterial ribosome presented here now allow a deeper phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal components including structural conservation to the level of solvation. The high quality of the maps should enable future structural analyses of the chemical basis for translation and aid the development of robust tools for cryo-EM structure modeling and refinement.

Structure of the bacterial ribosome at 2 Å resolution

Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the structure of the Escherichia coli 70S ribosome with a global resolution of 2.0 Å. The maps reveal unambiguous positioning of protein and RNA residues, their detailed chemical interactions, and chemical modifications. Notable features include the first examples of isopeptide and thioamide backbone substitutions in ribosomal proteins, the former likely conserved in all domains of life. The maps also reveal extensive solvation of the small (30S) ribosomal subunit, and interactions with A-site and P-site tRNAs, mRNA, and the antibiotic paromomycin. The maps and models of the bacterial ribosome presented here now allow a deeper phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal components including structural conservation to the level of solvation. The high quality of the maps should enable future structural analyses of the chemical basis for translation and aid the development of robust tools for cryo-EM structure modeling and refinement.

José M. The Ancient History of Peptidyl Transferase Center Formation as Told by Conservation and Information Analyses

The peptidyl transferase center (PTC) is the catalytic center of the ribosome and forms part of the 23S ribosomal RNA. The PTC has been recognized as the earliest ribosomal part and its origins embodied the First Universal Common Ancestor (FUCA). The PTC is frequently assumed to be highly conserved along all living beings. In this work, we posed the following questions: (i) How many 100% conserved bases can be found in the PTC? (ii) Is it possible to identify clusters of informationally linked nucleotides along its sequence? (iii) Can we propose how the PTC was formed? (iv) How does sequence conservation reflect on the secondary and tertiary structures of the PTC? Aiming to answer these questions, all available complete sequences of 23S ribosomal RNA from Bacteria and Archaea deposited on GenBank database were downloaded. Using a sequence bait of 179 bp from the PTC of Thermus termophilus, we performed an optimum pairwise alignment to retrieve the PTC region from 1424 filtered 23S rRNA sequences. These PTC sequences were multiply aligned, and the conserved regions were assigned and observed along the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures. The PTC structure was observed to be more highly conserved close to the adenine located at the catalytical site. Clusters of interrelated, co-evolving nucleotides reinforce previous assumptions that the PTC was formed by the concatenation of proto-tRNAs and important residues responsible for its assembly were identified. The observed sequence variation does not seem to significantly affect the 3D structure of the PTC ribozyme.

Direct interplay between stereochemistry and conformational preferences in aminoacylated oligoribonucleotides

To address the structural and dynamical consequences of amino-acid attachment at 2'- or 3'-hydroxyls of the terminal ribose in oligoribonucleotides, we have performed an extensive set of molecular dynamics simulations of model aminoacylated RNA trinucleotides. Our simulations suggest that 3'-modified trinucleotides exhibit higher solvent exposure of the aminoacylester bond and may be more susceptible to hydrolysis than their 2' counterparts. Moreover, we observe an invariant adoption of well-defined collapsed and extended conformations for both stereoisomers. We show that the average conformational preferences of aminoacylated trinucleotides are determined by their nucleotide composition and are fine-tuned by amino-acid attachment. Conversely, solvent exposure of the aminoacylester bond depends on the attachment site, the nature of attached amino acid and the strength of its interactions with the bases. Importantly, aminoacylated CCA trinucleotides display a systematically higher solvent exposure of the aminoacylester bond and a weaker dependence of such exposure on sidechain interactions than other trinucleotides. These features could facilitate hydrolytic release of the amino acid, especially for 3' attachment, and may have contributed to CCA becoming the universal acceptor triplet in tRNAs. Our results provide novel atomistic details about fundamental aspects of biological translation and furnish clues about its primordial origins.

Incorporation of nonstandard amino acids into proteins: principles and applications

The cellular ribosome shows a naturally evolved strong preference for the synthesis of proteins with standard amino acids. An in-depth understanding of the translation process enables scientists to go beyond this natural limitation and engineer translating systems capable of synthesizing proteins with artificially designed and synthesized non-standard amino acids (nsAA) featuring more bulky sidechains. The sidechains can be functional groups, with chosen biophysical or chemical activities, that enable the direct application of these proteins. Alternatively, the sidechains can be designed to contain highly reactive groups: enabling the ready formation of conjugates via a covalent bond between the sidechain and other chemicals or biomolecules. This co-translational incorporation of nsAAs into proteins allows for a vast number of possible applications. In this paper, we first systematically summarized the advances in the engineering of the translation system. Subsequently, we reviewed the extensive applications of these nsAA-containing proteins (after chemical modification) by discussing representative reports on how they can be utilized for different purposes. Finally, we discussed the direction of further studies which could be undertaken to improve the current technology utilized in incorporating nsAAs in order to use them to their full potential and improve accessibility across disciplines.

Nucleic Acid Catalysis under Potential Prebiotic Conditions

Catalysis by nucleic acids is indispensable for extant cellular life, and it is widely accepted that nucleic acid enzymes were crucial for the emergence of primitive life 3.5-4 billion years ago. However, geochemical conditions on early Earth must have differed greatly from the constant internal milieus of today's cells. In order to explore plausible scenarios for early molecular evolution, it is therefore essential to understand how different physicochemical parameters, such as temperature, pH, and ionic composition, influence nucleic acid catalysis and to explore to what extent nucleic acid enzymes can adapt to non-physiological conditions. In this article, we give an overview of the research on catalysis of nucleic acids, in particular catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) and DNAs (deoxyribozymes), under extreme and/or unusual conditions that may relate to prebiotic environments.

RNA Nanostructure Molecular Imaging

Atomic force and transmission electron microscopies (AFM/TEM) are powerful tools to analyze RNA-based nanostructures. While cryo-TEM analysis allows the determination of near-atomic resolution structures of large RNA complexes, this chapter intends to present how RNA nanostructures can be analyzed at room temperature on surfaces. Indeed, TEM and AFM analyses permit the conformation of a large population of individual molecular structures to be observed, providing a statistical basis for the variability of these nanostructures within the population. Nevertheless, if double-stranded DNA molecular imaging has been described extensively, only a few investigations of single-stranded DNA and RNA filaments have been conducted so far. Indeed, technique for spreading and adsorption of ss-molecules on AFM surfaces or TEM grids is a crucial step to avoid disturbing RNA conformation on the surface. In this chapter, we present a specific method to analyze RNA assemblies and RNA-protein complexes for molecular microscopies.

Application of FTIR Spectroscopy to Analyze RNA Structure

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been widely used for the analysis of both protein and nucleic acid secondary structure. This is one of the vibration spectroscopy methods that are extremely sensitive to any change in molecular structure. While numerous reports describe how to proceed to analyze protein and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) structures using FTIR, reports related to the analyses of ribonucleic acids (RNAs) are few. Nevertheless, RNAs are versatile molecules involved in a multitude of roles in the cell. In this chapter, we present applications of FTIR for the structural analysis of RNA, including the analysis of helical parameters and noncanonical base pairing, often found in RNA. The effect of temperature pretreatment, which has a great impact on RNA folding, will also be discussed.

D Amino Acids Highlight the Catalytic Power of the Ribosome

The possible mechanism(s) by which ribosomes make peptide bonds during protein synthesis have been explored for decades. Yet, there is no agreement on how the catalytic site, the peptidyl transferase center (PTC), promotes this reaction. Here, we discuss the results of recent investigations of translation with D amino acids that provide fresh insights into that longstanding question.

Viruses as a survival strategy in the armory of life

Viruses have generally been thought of as infectious agents. New data on mimivirus, however, suggests a reinterpretation of this thought. Earth's biosphere seems to contain many more viruses than previously thought and they are relevant in the maintenance of ecosystems and biodiversity. Viruses are not considered to be alive because they are not free-living entities and do not have cellular units. Current hypotheses indicate that some viruses may have been the result of genomic reduction of cellular life forms. However, new studies relating to the origins of biological systems suggest that viruses could also have originated during the transition from First to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (from FUCA to LUCA). Within this setting, life has been established as chemical informational system and could be interpreted as a macrocode of multiple layers. The first entity to acquire these features was the First Universal Common Ancestor (FUCA) that evolved to an intermediate ancestral that could be named T-LUCA (Transitional-LUCA) and be equated to Woese's concept of progenotes. T-LUCA may have remained as undifferentiated subsystems with viruses-like structures. The net result is that both cellular life forms and viruses shared protein synthesis apparatuses. In short, virus is a strategy of life reached by two paths: T-LUCAs like entities and the reduction of cellular life forms.

Substrate-Induced Formation of Ribosomal Decoding Center for Accurate and Rapid Genetic Code Translation

Accurate translation of genetic information is crucial for synthesis of functional proteins in all organisms. We use recent experimental data to discuss how induced fit affects accuracy of initial codon selection on the ribosome by aminoacyl transfer RNA in ternary complex ( T₃) with elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) and guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP). We define actual accuracy ([Formula: see text]) of a particular protein synthesis system as its current accuracy and the effective selectivity ([Formula: see text]) as [Formula: see text] in the limit of zero ribosomal binding affinity for T₃. Intrinsic selectivity ([Formula: see text]), defined as the upper thermodynamic limit of [Formula: see text], is determined by the free energy difference between near-cognate and cognate T₃ in the pre-GTP hydrolysis state on the ribosome. [Formula: see text] is much larger than [Formula: see text], suggesting the possibility of a considerable increase in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] at negligible kinetic cost. Induced fit increases [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] without affecting [Formula: see text], and aminoglycoside antibiotics reduce [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] at unaltered [Formula: see text].

Ribosome Structure, Function, and Early Evolution

Ribosomes are among the largest and most dynamic molecular motors. The structure and dynamics of translation initiation and elongation are reviewed. Three ribosome motions have been identified for initiation and translocation. A swivel motion between the head/beak and the body of the 30S subunit was observed. A tilting dynamic of the head/beak versus the body of the 30S subunit was detected using simulations. A reversible ratcheting motion was seen between the 30S and the 50S subunits that slide relative to one another. The 30S⁻50S intersubunit contacts regulate translocation. IF2, EF-Tu, and EF-G are homologous G-protein GTPases that cycle on and off the same site on the ribosome. The ribosome, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzymes, transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA), and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) form the core of information processing in cells and are coevolved. Surprisingly, class I and class II aaRS enzymes, with distinct and incompatible folds, are homologs. Divergence of class I and class II aaRS enzymes and coevolution of the genetic code are described by analysis of ancient archaeal species.

Translation in Prokaryotes

This review summarizes our current understanding of translation in prokaryotes, focusing on the mechanistic and structural aspects of each phase of translation: initiation, elongation, termination, and ribosome recycling. The assembly of the initiation complex provides multiple checkpoints for messenger RNA (mRNA) and start-site selection. Correct codon-anticodon interaction during the decoding phase of elongation results in major conformational changes of the small ribosomal subunit and shapes the reaction pathway of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) hydrolysis. The ribosome orchestrates proton transfer during peptide bond formation, but requires the help of elongation factor P (EF-P) when two or more consecutive Pro residues are to be incorporated. Understanding the choreography of transfer RNA (tRNA) and mRNA movements during translocation helps to place the available structures of translocation intermediates onto the time axis of the reaction pathway. The nascent protein begins to fold cotranslationally, in the constrained space of the polypeptide exit tunnel of the ribosome. When a stop codon is reached at the end of the coding sequence, the ribosome, assisted by termination factors, hydrolyzes the ester bond of the peptidyl-tRNA, thereby releasing the nascent protein. Following termination, the ribosome is dissociated into subunits and recycled into another round of initiation. At each step of translation, the ribosome undergoes dynamic fluctuations between different conformation states. The aim of this article is to show the link between ribosome structure, dynamics, and function.

Conformation of methylated GGQ in the Peptidyl Transferase Center during Translation Termination

The universally conserved Gly-Gly-Gln (GGQ) tripeptide in release factors or release factor-like surveillance proteins is required to catalyze the release of nascent peptide in the ribosome. The glutamine of the GGQ is methylated post-translationally at the N⁵ position in vivo; this covalent modification is essential for optimal cell growth and efficient translation termination. However, the precise conformation of the methylated-GGQ tripeptide in the ribosome remains unknown. Using cryoEM and X-ray crystallography, we report the conformation of methylated-GGQ in the peptidyl transferase center of the ribosome during canonical translational termination and co-translation quality control. It has been suggested that the GGQ motif arose independently through convergent evolution among otherwise unrelated proteins that catalyze peptide release. The requirement for this tripeptide in the highly conserved peptidyl transferase center suggests that the conformation reported here is likely shared during termination of protein synthesis in all domains of life.

A recent intermezzo at the Ribosome Club

Two sets of ribosome structures have recently led to two different interpretations of what limits the accuracy of codon translation by transfer RNAs. In this review, inspired by this intermezzo at the Ribosome Club, we briefly discuss accuracy amplification by energy driven proofreading and its implementation in genetic code translation. We further discuss general ways by which the monitoring bases of 16S rRNA may enhance the ultimate accuracy (d-values) and how the codon translation accuracy is reduced by the actions of Mg²⁺ ions and the presence of error inducing aminoglycoside antibiotics. We demonstrate that complete freezing-in of cognate-like tautomeric states of ribosome-bound nucleotide bases in transfer RNA or messenger RNA is not compatible with recent experiments on initial codon selection by transfer RNA in ternary complex with elongation factor Tu and GTP. From these considerations, we suggest that the sets of 30S subunit structures from the Ramakrishnan group and 70S structures from the Yusupov/Yusupova group may, after all, reflect two sides of the same coin and how the structurally based intermezzo at the Ribosome Club may be resolved simply by taking the dynamic aspects of ribosome function into account.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Perspectives on the ribosome’.

Structure-Based Energetics of Stop Codon Recognition by Eukaryotic Release Factor

In translation termination, the eukaryotic release factor (eRF1) recognizes mRNA stop codons (UAA, UAG, or UGA) in a ribosomal A site and triggers release of the nascent polypeptide chain from P-site tRNA. eRF1 is highly selective for U in the first position and a combination of purines (except two consecutive guanines, i.e., GG) in the second and third positions. Eukaryotes decode all three stop codons with a single release factor eRF1, instead of two (RF1 and RF2), in bacteria. Furthermore, unlike bacterial RF1/RF2, eRF1 stabilizes the compact U-turn mRNA configuration in the ribosomal A site by accommodating four nucleotides instead of three. Despite the available cryo-EM structures (resolution ∼3.5-3.8 Å), the energetic principle for eRF1 selectivity toward a stop codon remains a fundamentally unsolved problem. Using cryo-EM structures of eukaryotic translation termination complexes as templates, we carried out molecular dynamics free energy simulations of cognate and near-cognate complexes to quantitatively address the energetics of stop codon recognition by eRF1. Our results suggest that eRF1 has a higher discriminatory power against sense codons, compared to that reported earlier for RF1/RF2. The compact mRNA formed specific intra-mRNA interactions, which itself contributed to stop codon specificity. Furthermore, the specificity is enhanced by the loss of protein-mRNA interactions and, most importantly, by desolvation of the incorrect codons in the near-cognate complexes. Our work provides a clue to how eRF1 discriminates between cognate and near-cognate codons during protein synthesis.

Synthetic alienation of microbial organisms by using genetic code engineering: Why and how?

The main goal of synthetic biology (SB) is the creation of biodiversity applicable for biotechnological needs, while xenobiology (XB) aims to expand the framework of natural chemistries with the non-natural building blocks in living cells to accomplish artificial biodiversity. Protein and proteome engineering, which overcome limitation of the canonical amino acid repertoire of 20 (+2) prescribed by the genetic code by using non-canonic amino acids (ncAAs), is one of the main focuses of XB research. Ideally, estranging the genetic code from its current form via systematic introduction of ncAAs should enable the development of bio-containment mechanisms in synthetic cells potentially endowing them with a "genetic firewall" i.e. orthogonality which prevents genetic information transfer to natural systems. Despite rapid progress over the past two decades, it is not yet possible to completely alienate an organism that would use and maintain different genetic code associations permanently. In order to engineer robust bio-contained life forms, the chemical logic behind the amino acid repertoire establishment should be considered. Starting from recent proposal of Hartman and Smith about the genetic code establishment in the RNA world, here the authors mapped possible biotechnological invasion points for engineering of bio-contained synthetic cells equipped with non-canonical functionalities.

Mechanistic Insights Into Catalytic RNA-Protein Complexes Involved in Translation of the Genetic Code

The contemporary world is an "RNA-protein world" rather than a "protein world" and tracing its evolutionary origins is of great interest and importance. The different RNAs that function in close collaboration with proteins are involved in several key physiological processes, including catalysis. Ribosome-the complex megadalton cellular machinery that translates genetic information encoded in nucleotide sequence to amino acid sequence-epitomizes such an association between RNA and protein. RNAs that can catalyze biochemical reactions are known as ribozymes. They usually employ general acid-base catalytic mechanism, often involving the 2'-OH of RNA that activates and/or stabilizes a nucleophile during the reaction pathway. The protein component of such RNA-protein complexes (RNPCs) mostly serves as a scaffold which provides an environment conducive for the RNA to function, or as a mediator for other interacting partners. In this review, we describe those RNPCs that are involved at different stages of protein biosynthesis and in which RNA performs the catalytic function; the focus of the account is on highlighting mechanistic aspects of these complexes. We also provide a perspective on such associations in the context of proofreading during translation of the genetic code. The latter aspect is not much appreciated and recent works suggest that this is an avenue worth exploring, since an understanding of the subject can provide useful insights into how RNAs collaborate with proteins to ensure fidelity during these essential cellular processes. It may also aid in comprehending evolutionary aspects of such associations.

Induced fit of the peptidyl-transferase center of the ribosome and conformational freedom of the esterified amino acids

The catalytic site of most enzymes can efficiently handle only one substrate. In contrast, the ribosome is capable of polymerizing at a similar rate at least 20 different kinds of amino acids from aminoacyl-tRNA carriers while using just one catalytic site, the peptidyl-transferase center (PTC). An induced-fit mechanism has been uncovered in the PTC, but a possible connection between this mechanism and the uniform handling of the substrates has not been investigated. We present an analysis of published ribosome structures supporting the hypothesis that the induced fit eliminates unreactive rotamers predominantly populated for some A-site aminoacyl esters before induction. We show that this hypothesis is fully consistent with the wealth of kinetic data obtained with these substrates. Our analysis reveals that induction constrains the amino acids into a reactive conformation in a side-chain independent manner. It allows us to highlight the rationale of the PTC structural organization, which confers to the ribosome the very unusual ability to handle large as well as small substrates.

Bacterial Protein Synthesis as a Target for Antibiotic Inhibition

Protein synthesis occurs on macromolecular machines, called ribosomes. Bacterial ribosomes and the translational machinery represent one of the major targets for antibiotics in the cell. Therefore, structural and biochemical investigations into ribosome-targeting antibiotics provide not only insight into the mechanism of action and resistance of antibiotics, but also insight into the fundamental process of protein synthesis. This review summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of protein synthesis, particularly with respect to X-ray and cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of ribosome complexes, and highlights the different steps of translation that are targeted by the diverse array of known antibiotics. Such findings will be important for the ongoing development of novel and improved antimicrobial agents to combat the rapid emergence of multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria.

The molecular choreography of protein synthesis: translational control, regulation, and pathways

Translation of proteins by the ribosome regulates gene expression, with recent results underscoring the importance of translational control. Misregulation of translation underlies many diseases, including cancer and many genetic diseases. Decades of biochemical and structural studies have delineated many of the mechanistic details in prokaryotic translation, and sketched the outlines of eukaryotic translation. However, translation may not proceed linearly through a single mechanistic pathway, but likely involves multiple pathways and branchpoints. The stochastic nature of biological processes would allow different pathways to occur during translation that are biased by the interaction of the ribosome with other translation factors, with many of the steps kinetically controlled. These multiple pathways and branchpoints are potential regulatory nexus, allowing gene expression to be tuned at the translational level. As research focus shifts toward eukaryotic translation, certain themes will be echoed from studies on prokaryotic translation. This review provides a general overview of the dynamic data related to prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation, in particular recent findings with single-molecule methods, complemented by biochemical, kinetic, and structural findings. We will underscore the importance of viewing the process through the viewpoints of regulation, translational control, and heterogeneous pathways.

Amides in Nature and Biocatalysis

Amides are widespread in biologically active compounds with a broad range of applications in biotechnology, agriculture and medicine. Therefore, as alternative to chemical synthesis the biocatalytic amide synthesis is a very interesting field of research. As usual, Nature can serve as guide in the quest for novel biocatalysts. Several mechanisms for carboxylate activation involving mainly acyl-adenylate, acyl-phosphate or acyl-enzyme intermediates have been discovered, but also completely different pathways to amides are found. In addition to ribosomes, selected enzymes of almost all main enzyme classes are able to synthesize amides. In this review we give an overview about amide synthesis in Nature, as well as biotechnological applications of these enzymes. Moreover, several examples of biocatalytic amide synthesis are given.

Prospects for using self-assembled nucleic acid structures

According to the central dogma in molecular biology, nucleic acids are assigned with key functions on storing and executing genetic information in any living cell. However, features of nucleic acids are not limited only with properties providing template-dependent biosynthetic processes. Studies of DNA and RNA unveiled unique features of these polymers able to make various self-assembled three-dimensional structures that, among other things, use the complementarity principle. Here, we review various self-assembled nucleic acid structures as well as application of DNA and RNA to develop nanomaterials, molecular automata, and nanodevices. It can be expected that in the near future results of these developments will allow designing novel next-generation diagnostic systems and medicinal drugs.

Functional Dynamics within the Human Ribosome Regulate the Rate of Active Protein Synthesis

The regulation of protein synthesis contributes to gene expression in both normal physiology and disease, yet kinetic investigations of the human translation mechanism are currently lacking. Using single-molecule fluorescence imaging methods, we have quantified the nature and timing of structural processes in human ribosomes during single-turnover and processive translation reactions. These measurements reveal that functional complexes exhibit dynamic behaviors and thermodynamic stabilities distinct from those observed for bacterial systems. Structurally defined sub-states of pre- and post-translocation complexes were sensitive to specific inhibitors of the eukaryotic ribosome, demonstrating the utility of this platform to probe drug mechanism. The application of three-color single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) methods further revealed a long-distance allosteric coupling between distal tRNA binding sites within ribosomes bearing three tRNAs, which contributed to the rate of processive translation.

Structure of a human translation termination complex

In contrast to bacteria that have two release factors, RF1 and RF2, eukaryotes only possess one unrelated release factor eRF1, which recognizes all three stop codons of the mRNA and hydrolyses the peptidyl-tRNA bond. While the molecular basis for bacterial termination has been elucidated, high-resolution structures of eukaryotic termination complexes have been lacking. Here we present a 3.8 Å structure of a human translation termination complex with eRF1 decoding a UAA(A) stop codon. The complex was formed using the human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) stalling peptide, which perturbs the peptidyltransferase center (PTC) to silence the hydrolysis activity of eRF1. Moreover, unlike sense codons or bacterial stop codons, the UAA stop codon adopts a U-turn-like conformation within a pocket formed by eRF1 and the ribosome. Inducing the U-turn conformation for stop codon recognition rationalizes how decoding by eRF1 includes monitoring geometry in order to discriminate against sense codons.

Measurement of average decoding rates of the 61 sense codons in vivo

Most amino acids can be encoded by several synonymous codons, which are used at unequal frequencies. The significance of unequal codon usage remains unclear. One hypothesis is that frequent codons are translated relatively rapidly. However, there is little direct, in vivo, evidence regarding codon-specific translation rates. In this study, we generate high-coverage data using ribosome profiling in yeast, analyze using a novel algorithm, and deduce events at the A- and P-sites of the ribosome. Different codons are decoded at different rates in the A-site. In general, frequent codons are decoded more quickly than rare codons, and AT-rich codons are decoded more quickly than GC-rich codons. At the P-site, proline is slow in forming peptide bonds. We also apply our algorithm to short footprints from a different conformation of the ribosome and find strong amino acid-specific (not codon-specific) effects that may reflect interactions with the exit tunnel of the ribosome.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03735.001

Genes contain the instructions for making proteins from molecules called amino acids. These instructions are encoded in the order of the four building blocks that make up DNA, which are symbolized by the letters A, T, C, and G. The DNA of a gene is first copied to make a molecule of RNA, and then the letters in the RNA are read in groups of three (called ‘codons’) by a cellular machine called a ribosome. ‘Sense codons’ each specify one amino acid, and the ribosome decodes hundreds or thousands of these codons into a chain of amino acids to form a protein. ‘Stop codons’ do not encode amino acids but instead instruct the ribosome to stop building a protein when the chain is completed.

Most proteins are built from 20 different kinds of amino acid, but there are 61 sense codons. As such, up to six codons can code for the same amino acid. The multiple codons for a single amino acid, however, are not used equally in gene sequences—some are used much more often than others.

Now, Gardin, Yeasmin et al. have instantly halted the on-going processes of decoding genes and building proteins in yeast cells. Codons being translated into amino acids are trapped inside the ribosome; and codons that take the longest to decode are trapped most often. By using a computer algorithm, Gardin, Yeasmin et al. were able to measure just how often each kind of sense codon was trapped inside the ribosome and use this as a measure of how quickly each codon is decoded. The more often a given codon is used in a gene sequence, the less likely it was found to be trapped inside the ribosome—which suggests that these codons are decoded quicker than other codons and pass through the ribosome more quickly. Put another way, it appears that genes tend to use the codons that can be read the fastest.

Certain properties of a codon also affected its decoding speed. Codons with more As and Ts, for example, are decoded faster than codons with more Cs and Gs. Furthermore, whenever a chemically unusual amino acid called proline has to be added to a new protein chain, it slowed down the speed at which the protein was built. The method described by Gardin, Yeasmin et al. for peering into a decoding ribosome may now help future studies that aim to answer other questions about how proteins are built.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03735.002

Peptide formation by N-methyl amino acids in translation is hastened by higher pH and tRNA(Pro)

Applications of N-methyl amino acids (NMAAs) in drug discovery are limited by their low efficiencies of ribosomal incorporation, and little is known mechanistically about the steps leading to incorporation. Here, we demonstrate that a synthetic tRNA body based on a natural N-alkyl amino acid carrier, tRNA(Pro), increases translation incorporation rates of all three studied NMAAs compared with tRNA(Phe)- and tRNA(Ala)-based bodies. We also investigate the pH dependence of the incorporation rates and find that the rates increase dramatically in the range of pH 7 to 8.5 with the titration of a single proton. Results support a rate-limiting peptidyl transfer step dependent on deprotonation of the N-nucleophile of the NMAA. Competition experiments demonstrate that several futile cycles of delivery and rejection of A-site NMAA-tRNA are required per peptide bond formed and that increasing magnesium ion concentration increases incorporation yield. Data clarify the mechanism of ribosomal NMAA incorporation and provide three generalizable ways to improve incorporation of NMAAs in translation.

Functional implications of ribosomal RNA methylation in response to environmental stress

The study of post-transcriptional RNA modifications has long been focused on the roles these chemical modifications play in maintaining ribosomal function. The field of ribosomal RNA modification has reached a milestone in recent years with the confirmation of the final unknown ribosomal RNA methyltransferase in Escherichia coli in 2012. Furthermore, the last 10 years have brought numerous discoveries in non-coding RNAs and the roles that post-transcriptional modification play in their functions. These observations indicate the need for a revitalization of this field of research to understand the role modifications play in maintaining cellular health in a dynamic environment. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies, the time is ripe for leaps and bounds forward. This review discusses ribosomal RNA methyltransferases and their role in responding to external stress in Escherichia coli, with a specific focus on knockout studies and on analysis of transcriptome data with respect to rRNA methyltransferases.