Site-specific mutagenesis on a human initiator methionine tRNA gene within a sequence conserved in all eukaryotic initiator tRNAs and studies of its effects on in vitro transcription

Highly chromophoric dual-terminus labeling of an intrinsically disordered native eukaryotic protein of interest at nanoscale

Chemical conjugation of purified proteins of interest (POIs) in Escherichia coli cells is effective for high expression but has limitations for highly chromogenic dual labeling of intrinsically disordered native proteins (IDNPs). Our probes can tag IDNPs using chemical conjugation during protein synthesis and folding while preserving biologically active structures in mammalian cells. We fluorescently labeled IDNPs in mammalian cells using pure fluorescent methionine and ATTO 565-biotin at the N-or C-terminus, respectively. The dual-labeled Tat protein was used as a model for IDNPs in HeLa cells and detected using Ni-NTA beads to estimate its highly chromogenic concentration. We also demonstrated highly chromogenic double labeling of genetically encoded fluorescent-Tat expression in eukaryotic cells using a single fluorescent dye pair with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) ratio and two-color correlation analysis. This study aims to solve native POI processing and achieve ultra-sensitive protein folding for biological and ecological applications at the nanoscale.

7-Methylguanosine Modifications in Transfer RNA (tRNA)

More than 90 different modified nucleosides have been identified in tRNA. Among the tRNA modifications, the 7-methylguanosine (m⁷G) modification is found widely in eubacteria, eukaryotes, and a few archaea. In most cases, the m⁷G modification occurs at position 46 in the variable region and is a product of tRNA (m⁷G46) methyltransferase. The m⁷G46 modification forms a tertiary base pair with C13-G22, and stabilizes the tRNA structure. A reaction mechanism for eubacterial tRNA m⁷G methyltransferase has been proposed based on the results of biochemical, bioinformatic, and structural studies. However, an experimentally determined mechanism of methyl-transfer remains to be ascertained. The physiological functions of m⁷G46 in tRNA have started to be determined over the past decade. For example, tRNA m⁷G46 or tRNA (m⁷G46) methyltransferase controls the amount of other tRNA modifications in thermophilic bacteria, contributes to the pathogenic infectivity, and is also associated with several diseases. In this review, information of tRNA m⁷G modifications and tRNA m⁷G methyltransferases is summarized and the differences in reaction mechanism between tRNA m⁷G methyltransferase and rRNA or mRNA m⁷G methylation enzyme are discussed.

Highly chromophoric Cy5-methionine for N-terminal fluorescent tagging of proteins in eukaryotic translation systems

Despite significant advances on fluorescent labeling of target proteins to study their structural dynamics and function, there has been need for labeling with high quantum yield ensuring high sensitivity and selectivity without sacrificing the biological function of the protein. Here as a technical advancement over non-canonical amino acid incorporation, we provided a conceptual design of the N-terminal fluorescent tagging of proteins. Cy5-labeled methionine (Cy5-Met) was chemically synthesized, and then the purified Cy5-Met was coupled with synthetic human initiator tRNA by methionine tRNA synthetase. Cy5-Met-initiator tRNA (Cy5-Met-tRNAi) was purified and transfected into HeLa cells with HIV-Tat plasmid, resulting in an efficient production of Cy5-labeled HIV-Tat protein. Based on the universal requirement in translational initiation, the approach provides co-translational incorporation of N-terminal probe to a repertoire of proteins in the eukaryote system. This methodology has potential utility in the single molecule analysis of human proteins in vitro and in vivo for addressing to their complex biological structural and functional dynamics.

RNA recognition mechanism of eukaryote tRNA (m7G46) methyltransferase (Trm8-Trm82 complex)

Yeast tRNA (m(7)G46) methyltransferase contains two protein subunits (Trm8 and Trm82). To address the RNA recognition mechanism of the Trm8-Trm82 complex, we investigated methyl acceptance activities of eight truncated yeast tRNA(Phe) transcripts. Both the D-stem and T-stem structures were required for efficient methyl-transfer. To clarify the role of the D-stem structure, we tested four mutant transcripts, in which tertiary base pairs were disrupted. The tertiary base pairs were important but not essential for the methyl-transfer to yeast tRNA(Phe) transcript, suggesting that these base pairs support the induced fit of the G46 base into the catalytic pocket.

A role for the catalytic ribonucleoprotein RNase P in RNA polymerase III transcription

The physical and functional links between transcription and processing machines of tRNA in the cell remain essentially unknown. We show here that whole HeLa extracts depleted of ribonuclease P (RNase P), a tRNA-processing ribonucleoprotein, exhibit a severe deficiency in RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcription of tRNA and other small, noncoding RNA genes. However, transcription can be restored by the addition of a purified holoenzyme. Targeted cleavage of the H1 RNA moiety of RNase P alters enzyme specificity and diminishes Pol III transcription. Moreover, inactivation of RNase P by targeting its protein subunits for destruction using small interfering RNAs inhibits Pol III function and Pol III-directed promoter activity in the cell. RNase P exerts its role in transcription through association with Pol III and chromatin of active tRNA and 5S rRNA genes. The results demonstrate a role for RNase P in Pol III transcription and suggest that transcription and early processing of tRNA may be coordinated.

Substrate tRNA Recognition Mechanism of tRNA (m7G46) Methyltransferase from Aquifex aeolicus

Transfer RNA (m7G46) methyltransferase catalyzes the methyl transfer from S-adenosylmethionine to N7 atom of the guanine 46 residue in tRNA. Analysis of the Aquifex aeolicus genome revealed one candidate open reading frame, aq065, encoding this gene. The aq065 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity on 15% SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Although the overall amino acid sequence of the aq065 protein differs considerably from that of E. coli YggH, the purified aq065 protein possessed a tRNA (m7G46) methyltransferase activity. The modified nucleoside and its location were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. To clarify the RNA recognition mechanism of the enzyme, we investigated the methyl transfer activity to 28 variants of yeast tRNAPhe and E. coli tRNAThr. It was confirmed that 5'-leader and 3'-trailer RNAs of tRNA precursor are not required for the methyl transfer. We found that the enzyme specificity was critically dependent on the size of the variable loop. Experiments using truncated variants showed that the variable loop sequence inserted between two stems is recognized as a substrate, and the most important recognition site is contained within the T stem. These results indicate that the L-shaped tRNA structure is not required for methyl acceptance activity. It was also found that nucleotide substitutions around G46 in three-dimensional core decrease the activity.

Initiator-elongator discrimination in vertebrate tRNAs for protein synthesis

Initiator tRNAs are used exclusively for initiation of protein synthesis and not for the elongation step. We show, in vivo and in vitro, that the primary sequence feature that prevents the human initiator tRNA from acting in the elongation step is the nature of base pairs 50:64 and 51:63 in the TpsiC stem of the initiator tRNA. Various considerations suggest that this is due to sequence-dependent perturbation of the sugar phosphate backbone in the TpsiC stem of initiator tRNA, which most likely blocks binding of the elongation factor to the tRNA. Because the sequences of all vertebrate initiator tRNAs are identical, our findings with the human initiator tRNA are likely to be valid for all vertebrate systems. We have developed reporter systems that can be used to monitor, in mammalian cells, the activity in elongation of mutant human initiator tRNAs carrying anticodon sequence mutations from CAU to CCU (the C35 mutant) or to CUA (the U35A36 mutant). Combination of the anticodon sequence mutation with mutations in base pairs 50:64 and 51:63 yielded tRNAs that act as elongators in mammalian cells. Further mutation of the A1:U72 base pair, which is conserved in virtually all eukaryotic initiator tRNAs, to G1:C72 in the C35 mutant background yielded tRNAs that were even more active in elongation. In addition, in a rabbit reticulocyte in vitro protein-synthesizing system, a tRNA carrying the TpsiC stem and the A1:U72-to-G1:C72 mutations was almost as active in elongation as the elongator methionine tRNA. The combination of mutant initiator tRNA with the CCU anticodon and the reporter system developed here provides the first example of missense suppression in mammalian cells.

The tRNA(Tyr) multigene family of Nicotiana rustica: genome organization, sequence analyses and expression in vitro

Tobacco tRNA(Tyr) genes are mainly organized as a dispersed multigene family as shown by hybridization with a tRNA(Tyr)-specific probe to Southern blots of Eco RI-digested DNA. A Nicotiana genomic library was prepared by Eco RI digestion of nuclear DNA, ligation of the fragments into the vector lambda gtWES.lambda B and in vitro packaging. The phage library was screened with a 5'-labelled synthetic oligonucleotide complementary to nucleotides 18 to 37 of cytoplasmic tobacco tRNA(Tyr). Eleven hybridizing Eco RI fragments ranging in size from 1.7 to 7.5 kb were isolated from recombinant lambda phage and subcloned into pUC19 plasmid. Four of the sequenced tRNA(Tyr) genes code for the known tobacco tRNA1(Tyr) (G psi A) and seven code for tRNA2(Tyr) (G psi A). The two tRNA species differ in one nucleotide pair at the basis of the T psi C stem. Only one tRNA(Tyr) gene (pNtY5) contains a point mutation (T54-->A54). Comparison of the intervening sequences reveals that they differ considerably in length and sequence. Maturation of intron-containing pre-tRNAs was studied in HeLa and wheat germ extracts. All pre-tRNAs(Tyr)--with one exception--are processed and spliced in both extracts. The tRNA(Tyr) gene encoded by pNtY5 is transcribed efficiently in HeLa extract but processing of the pre-tRNA is impaired.