A functional peptide encoded in the Escherichia coli 23S rRNA

Shining in the dark: the big world of small peptides in plants

Small peptides represent a subset of dark matter in plant proteomes. Through differential expression patterns and modes of action, small peptides act as important regulators of plant growth and development. Over the past 20 years, many small peptides have been identified due to technical advances in genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and chemical biology. In this article, we summarize the classification of plant small peptides and experimental strategies used to identify them as well as their potential use in agronomic breeding. We review the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of small peptides in plants, discuss current problems in small peptide research and highlight future research directions in this field. Our review provides crucial insight into small peptides in plants and will contribute to a better understanding of their potential roles in biotechnology and agriculture.

Little but Loud. The Diversity of Functions of Small Proteins and Peptides - Translational Products of Short Reading Frames

Cell functioning is tightly regulated process. For many years, research in the fields of proteomics and functional genomics has been focused on the role of proteins in cell functioning. The advances in science have led to the uncovering that short open reading frames, previously considered non-functional, serve a variety of functions. Short reading frames in polycistronic mRNAs often regulate their stability and translational efficiency of the main reading frame. The improvement of proteomic analysis methods has made it possible to identify the products of translation of short open reading frames in quantities that suggest the existence of functional role of those peptides and short proteins. Studies demonstrating their role unravel a new level of the regulation of cell functioning and its adaptation to changing conditions. This review is devoted to the analysis of functions of recently discovered peptides and short proteins.

FuncPEP: A Database of Functional Peptides Encoded by Non-Coding RNAs

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are essential players in many cellular processes, from normal development to oncogenic transformation. Initially, ncRNAs were defined as transcripts that lacked an open reading frame (ORF). However, multiple lines of evidence suggest that certain ncRNAs encode small peptides of less than 100 amino acids. The sequences encoding these peptides are known as small open reading frames (smORFs), many initiating with the traditional AUG start codon but terminating with atypical stop codons, suggesting a different biogenesis. The ncRNA-encoded peptides (ncPEPs) are gradually becoming appreciated as a new class of functional molecules that contribute to diverse cellular processes, and are deregulated in different diseases contributing to pathogenesis. As multiple publications have identified unique ncPEPs, we appreciated the need for assembling a new web resource that could gather information about these functional ncPEPs. We developed FuncPEP, a new database of functional ncRNA encoded peptides, containing all experimentally validated and functionally characterized ncPEPs. Currently, FuncPEP includes a comprehensive annotation of 112 functional ncPEPs and specific details regarding the ncRNA transcripts that encode these peptides. We believe that FuncPEP will serve as a platform for further deciphering the biologic significance and medical use of ncPEPs.

Target protection as a key antibiotic resistance mechanism

Antibiotic resistance is mediated through several distinct mechanisms, most of which are relatively well understood and the clinical importance of which has long been recognized. Until very recently, neither of these statements was readily applicable to the class of resistance mechanism known as target protection, a phenomenon whereby a resistance protein physically associates with an antibiotic target to rescue it from antibiotic-mediated inhibition. In this Review, we summarize recent progress in understanding the nature and importance of target protection. In particular, we describe the molecular basis of the known target protection systems, emphasizing that target protection does not involve a single, uniform mechanism but is instead brought about in several mechanistically distinct ways.

Novel Antibiotic Resistance Determinants from Agricultural Soil Exposed to Antibiotics Widely Used in Human Medicine and Animal Farming

Antibiotic resistance has emerged globally as one of the biggest threats to human and animal health. Although the excessive use of antibiotics is recognized as accelerating the selection for resistance, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that natural environments are "hot spots" for the development of both ancient and contemporary resistance mechanisms. Given that pharmaceuticals can be entrained onto agricultural land through anthropogenic activities, this could be a potential driver for the emergence and dissemination of resistance in soil bacteria. Using functional metagenomics, we interrogated the "resistome" of bacterial communities found in a collection of Canadian agricultural soil, some of which had been receiving antibiotics widely used in human medicine (macrolides) or food animal production (sulfamethazine, chlortetracycline, and tylosin) for up to 16 years. Of the 34 new antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) recovered, the majority were predicted to encode (multi)drug efflux systems, while a few share little to no homology with established resistance determinants. We characterized several novel gene products, including putative enzymes that can confer high-level resistance against aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, and broad range of beta-lactams, with respect to their resistance mechanisms and clinical significance. By coupling high-resolution proteomics analysis with functional metagenomics, we discovered an unusual peptide, PPP^{AZI 4}, encoded within an alternative open reading frame not predicted by bioinformatics tools. Expression of the proline-rich PPP^{AZI 4} can promote resistance against different macrolides but not other ribosome-targeting antibiotics, implicating a new macrolide-specific resistance mechanism that could be fundamentally linked to the evolutionary design of this peptide.IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance is a clinical phenomenon with an evolutionary link to the microbial pangenome. Genes and protogenes encoding specialized and potential resistance mechanisms are abundant in natural environments, but understanding of their identity and genomic context remains limited. Our discovery of several previously unknown antibiotic resistance genes from uncultured soil microorganisms indicates that soil is a significant reservoir of resistance determinants, which, once acquired and "repurposed" by pathogenic bacteria, can have serious impacts on therapeutic outcomes. This study provides valuable insights into the diversity and identity of resistance within the soil microbiome. The finding of a novel peptide-mediated resistance mechanism involving an unpredicted gene product also highlights the usefulness of integrating proteomics analysis into metagenomics-driven gene discovery.

Cj1199 Affect the Development of Erythromycin Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni through Regulation of Leucine Biosynthesis

The aim of this study was to reveal the biological function of Cj1199 which was overexpressed in the laboratory induced erythromycin resistant strains. The Cj1199 deletion mutant (ΦCj1199) was constructed via insertional inactivation from its parent strain Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168. The ΦCj1199 and NCTC11168 were then subjected to microarray and real-time PCR to find gene pathway of Cj1199. The antimicrobial susceptibility, antimicrobial resistance development, growth characteristics and leucine metabolism were examined to confirm the biological function of Cj1199. Our result showed that a total of 20 genes were down-regulated in ΦCj1199. These genes were mainly involved in leucine biosynthesis, amino acid transport and periplasmic/membrane structure. Compared to NCTC11168, ΦCj1199 was difficult to acquire higher-level erythromycin resistance during the in vitro step-wise selection. The competition growth and leucine-dependent growth assays demonstrated that ΦCj1199 imposed a growth disadvantage under pressure of erythromycin and in the leucine-free medium. In conclusion, Cj1199 gene may directly regulate the leucine biosynthesis and transport and indirectly affect the development of erythromycin resistance in C. jejuni.

Differential Regulation of rRNA and tRNA Transcription from the rRNA-tRNA Composite Operon in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli contains seven rRNA operons, each consisting of the genes for three rRNAs (16S, 23S and 5S rRNA in this order) and one or two tRNA genes in the spacer between 16S and 23S rRNA genes and one or two tRNA genes in the 3’ proximal region. All of these rRNA and tRNA genes are transcribed from two promoters, P1 and P2, into single large precursors that are afterward processed to individual rRNAs and tRNAs by a set of RNases. In the course of Genomic SELEX screening of promoters recognized by RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme containing RpoD sigma, a strong binding site was identified within 16S rRNA gene in each of all seven rRNA operons. The binding in vitro of RNAP RpoD holoenzyme to an internal promoter, referred to the promoter of riRNA (an internal RNA of the rRNA operon), within each 16S rRNA gene was confirmed by gel shift assay and AFM observation. Using this riRNA promoter within the rrnD operon as a representative, transcription in vitro was detected with use of the purified RpoD holoenzyme, confirming the presence of a constitutive promoter in this region. LacZ reporter assay indicated that this riRNA promoter is functional in vivo. The location of riRNA promoter in vivo as identified using a set of reporter plasmids agrees well with that identified in vitro. Based on transcription profile in vitro and Northern blot analysis in vivo, the majority of transcript initiated from this riRNA promoter was estimated to terminate near the beginning of 23S rRNA gene, indicating that riRNA leads to produce the spacer-coded tRNA. Under starved conditions, transcription of the rRNA operon is markedly repressed to reduce the intracellular level of ribosomes, but the levels of both riRNA and its processed tRNA^Glu stayed unaffected, implying that riRNA plays a role in the continued steady-state synthesis of tRNAs from the spacers of rRNA operons. We then propose that the tRNA genes organized within the spacers of rRNA-tRNA composite operons are expressed independent of rRNA synthesis under specific conditions where further synthesis of ribosomes is not needed.

What is an RNA? A top layer for RNA classification

Every ribonucleic acid begins its cellular life as a transcript. If the transcript or its processing product has a function it should be regarded an RNA. Nonfunctional transcripts, by-products from processing, degradation intermediates, even those originating from (functional) RNAs, and non-functional products of transcriptional gene regulation accomplished via the act of transcription, as well as stochastic (co)transcripts could simply be addressed as transcripts (class 0). The copious functional RNAs (class I), often maturing after one or more processing steps, already are systematized into ever expanding sub-classifications ranging from micro RNAs to rRNAs. Established sub-classifications addressing a wide functional diversity remain unaffected. mRNAs (class II) are distinct from any other RNA by virtue of their potential to be translated into (poly)peptide(s) on ribosomes. We are not proposing a novel RNA classification, but wish to add a basic concept with existing terminology (transcript, RNA, and mRNA) that should serve as an additional framework for carefully delineating RNA function from an avalanche of RNA sequencing data. At the same time, this top level hierarchical model should illuminate important principles of RNA evolution and biology thus heightening our awareness that in biology boundaries and categorizations are typically fuzzy.

Conserved small mRNA with an unique, extended Shine-Dalgarno sequence

Up to now, very small protein-coding genes have remained unrecognized in sequenced genomes. We identified an mRNA of 165 nucleotides (nt), which is conserved in Bradyrhizobiaceae and encodes a polypeptide with 14 amino acid residues (aa). The small mRNA harboring a unique Shine-Dalgarno sequence (SD) with a length of 17 nt was localized predominantly in the ribosome-containing P100 fraction of Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110. Strong interaction between the mRNA and 30S ribosomal subunits was demonstrated by their co-sedimentation in sucrose density gradient. Using translational fusions with egfp, we detected weak translation and found that it is impeded by both the extended SD and the GTG start codon (instead of ATG). Biophysical characterization (CD- and NMR-spectroscopy) showed that synthesized polypeptide remained unstructured in physiological puffer. Replacement of the start codon by a stop codon increased the stability of the transcript, strongly suggesting additional posttranscriptional regulation at the ribosome. Therefore, the small gene was named rreB (ribosome-regulated expression in Bradyrhizobiaceae). Assuming that the unique ribosome binding site (RBS) is a hallmark of rreB homologs or similarly regulated genes, we looked for similar putative RBS in bacterial genomes and detected regions with at least 16 nt complementarity to the 3′-end of 16S rRNA upstream of sORFs in Caulobacterales, Rhizobiales, Rhodobacterales and Rhodospirillales. In the Rhodobacter/Roseobacter lineage of α-proteobacteria the corresponding gene (rreR) is conserved and encodes an 18 aa protein. This shows how specific RBS features can be used to identify new genes with presumably similar control of expression at the RNA level.

Resistance to Macrolide Antibiotics in Public Health Pathogens

Macrolide resistance mechanisms can be target-based with a change in a 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) residue or a mutation in ribosomal protein L4 or L22 affecting the ribosome's interaction with the antibiotic. Alternatively, mono- or dimethylation of A2058 in domain V of the 23S rRNA by an acquired rRNA methyltransferase, the product of an erm (erythromycin ribosome methylation) gene, can interfere with antibiotic binding. Acquired genes encoding efflux pumps, most predominantly mef(A) + msr(D) in pneumococci/streptococci and msr(A/B) in staphylococci, also mediate resistance. Drug-inactivating mechanisms include phosphorylation of the 2'-hydroxyl of the amino sugar found at position C5 by phosphotransferases and hydrolysis of the macrocyclic lactone by esterases. These acquired genes are regulated by either translation or transcription attenuation, largely because cells are less fit when these genes, especially the rRNA methyltransferases, are highly induced or constitutively expressed. The induction of gene expression is cleverly tied to the mechanism of action of macrolides, relying on antibiotic-bound ribosomes stalled at specific sequences of nascent polypeptides to promote transcription or translation of downstream sequences.

A novel hypoxic stress-responsive long non-coding RNA transcribed by RNA polymerase III in Arabidopsis

Recently, a large number of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been found in a wide variety of organisms, but their biological functions are poorly understood, except for several tiny RNAs. To identify novel ncRNAs with essential functions in flowering plants, we focused attention on RNA polymerase III (Pol III) and its transcriptional activity, because most Pol III-transcribed RNAs contribute to key processes relating to cell activities, and have highly conserved promoter elements: upstream sequence elements, a TATA-like sequence, and a poly(T) stretch as a transcription terminator. After in silico prediction from the Arabidopsis genome, 20 novel ncRNAs candidates were obtained. AtR8 RNA (approx. 260 nt) and AtR18 RNA (approx. 160 nt) were identified by efficient in vitro transcription by Pol III in tobacco nuclear extracts. AtR8 RNA was conserved among six additional taxa of Brassicaceae, and the secondary structure of the RNA was also conserved among the orthologs. Abundant accumulation of AtR8 RNA was observed in the plant roots and cytosol of cultured cells. The RNA was not processed into a smaller fragment and no short open reading frame was included. Remarkably, expression of the AtR8 RNA responded negatively to hypoxic stress, and this regulation evidently differed from that of U6 snRNA.

Deoxyribozyme-based, semisynthetic access to stable peptidyl-tRNAs exemplified by tRNAVal carrying a macrolide antibiotic resistance peptide

We present a protocol for the reliable synthesis of non-hydrolyzable 3'-peptidyl-tRNAs that contain all the respective genuine nucleoside modifications. The approach is exemplified by tRNA(Val)-3'-NH-VFLVM-NH(2) and relies on commercially available Escherichia coli tRNA(Val). This tRNA was cleaved site-specifically within the TΨC loop using a 10-23 type DNA enzyme to obtain a 58 nt tRNA 5'-fragment which contained the modifications. After cleavage of the 2',3'-cyclophosphate moiety from the 5'-fragment, it was ligated to the 18 nt RNA-pentapeptide conjugate which had been chemically synthesized. By this methodology, tRNA(Val)-3'-NH-VFLVM-NH(2) is accessible in efficient manner. Furthermore, we point out that the approach is applicable to other types of tRNA.

The ribosome binding site calculator

The Ribosome Binding Site (RBS) Calculator is a design method for predicting and controlling translation initiation and protein expression in bacteria. The method can predict the rate of translation initiation for every start codon in an mRNA transcript. The method may also optimize a synthetic RBS sequence to achieve a targeted translation initiation rate. Using the RBS Calculator, a protein coding sequence's translation rate may be rationally controlled across a 100,000+ fold range. We begin by providing an overview of the potential biotechnology applications of the RBS Calculator, including the optimization of synthetic metabolic pathways and genetic circuits. We then detail the definitions, methodologies, and algorithms behind the RBS Calculator's thermodynamic model and optimization method. Finally, we outline a protocol for precisely measuring steady-state fluorescent protein expression levels. These methods and protocols provide a clear explanation of the RBS Calculator and its uses.

Misannotations of rRNA can now generate 90% false positive protein matches in metatranscriptomic studies

In the course of analyzing 9,522,746 pyrosequencing reads from 23 stations in the Southwestern Pacific and equatorial Atlantic oceans, it came to our attention that misannotations of rRNA as proteins is now so widespread that false positive matching of rRNA pyrosequencing reads to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) non-redundant protein database approaches 90%. One conserved portion of 23S rRNA was consistently misannotated often enough to prompt curators at Pfam to create a spurious protein family. Detailed examination of the annotation history of each seed sequence in the spurious Pfam protein family (PF10695, 'Cw-hydrolase') uncovered issues in the standard operating procedures and quality assurance programs of major sequencing centers, and other issues relating to the curation practices of those managing public databases such as GenBank and SwissProt. We offer recommendations for all these issues, and recommend as well that workers in the field of metatranscriptomics take extra care to avoid including false positive matches in their datasets.

Inhibition of bacterial ribosome assembly: a suitable drug target?

The assembly of bacterial ribosomes is viewed with increasing interest as a potential target for new antibiotics. The in vivo synthesis and assembly of ribosomes are briefly reviewed here, highlighting the many ways in which assembly can be perturbed. The process is compared with the model in vitro process from which much of our knowledge is derived. The coordinate synthesis of the ribosomal components is essential for their ordered and efficient assembly; antibiotics interfere with this coordination and therefore affect assembly. It has also been claimed that the binding of antibiotics to nascent ribosomes prevents their assembly. These two contrasting models of antibiotic action are compared and evaluated. Finally, the suitability and tractability of assembly as a drug target are assessed.

Erythromycin- and chloramphenicol-induced ribosomal assembly defects are secondary effects of protein synthesis inhibition

Several protein synthesis inhibitors are known to inhibit ribosome assembly. This may be a consequence of direct binding of the antibiotic to ribosome precursor particles, or it could result indirectly from loss of coordination in the production of ribosomal components due to the inhibition of protein synthesis. Here we demonstrate that erythromycin and chloramphenicol, inhibitors of the large ribosomal subunit, affect the assembly of both the large and small subunits. Expression of a small erythromycin resistance peptide acting in cis on mature ribosomes relieves the erythromycin-mediated assembly defect for both subunits. Erythromycin treatment of bacteria expressing a mixture of erythromycin-sensitive and -resistant ribosomes produced comparable effects on subunit assembly. These results argue in favor of the view that erythromycin and chloramphenicol affect the assembly of the large ribosomal subunit indirectly.

Novel long non-protein coding RNAs involved in Arabidopsis differentiation and stress responses

Long non-protein coding RNAs (npcRNA) represent an emerging class of riboregulators, which either act directly in this long form or are processed to shorter miRNA and siRNA. Genome-wide bioinformatic analysis of full-length cDNA databases identified 76 Arabidopsis npcRNAs. Fourteen npcRNAs were antisense to protein-coding mRNAs, suggesting cis-regulatory roles. Numerous 24-nt siRNA matched to five different npcRNAs, suggesting that these npcRNAs are precursors of this type of siRNA. Expression analyses of the 76 npcRNAs identified a novel npcRNA that accumulates in a dcl1 mutant but does not appear to produce trans-acting siRNA or miRNA. Additionally, another npcRNA was the precursor of miR869 and shown to be up-regulated in dcl4 but not in dcl1 mutants, indicative of a young miRNA gene. Abiotic stress altered the accumulation of 22 npcRNAs among the 76, a fraction significantly higher than that observed for the RNA binding protein-coding fraction of the transcriptome. Overexpression analyses in Arabidopsis identified two npcRNAs as regulators of root growth during salt stress and leaf morphology, respectively. Hence, together with small RNAs, long npcRNAs encompass a sensitive component of the transcriptome that have diverse roles during growth and differentiation.

Macrolide myths

In spite of decades of research, our knowledge of the mode of interaction of macrolide antibiotics with their ribosomal target and of the mechanism of action of these drugs remain fragmentary. Experimental facts obtained over the past several years question some of the concepts that were viewed as a 'common knowledge'. This review focuses on certain aspects of binding and action of macrolides that may need re-evaluation in view of the new findings.

Lilliputians get into the limelight: novel class of small peptide genes in morphogenesis

Generally, bioactive small peptides are derived from precursors with signal sequences at their N-terminal ends, which undergo modification and proteolysis through a secretory pathway. By contrast, small peptides encoded in short open reading frames (sORF) lack signaling sequences and therefore are released into the cytoplasm, which may result in their having functions distinct from those of secreted peptides. Several small peptides encoded by sORF are involved in the morphogenesis of multicellular organisms. POLARIS, ROTUNDIFOLIA4, and Enod40 are plant peptides that are involved, respectively, in root formation, leaf shape control, and cortical cell division during nodule formation. Brick1/HSPC300 is an evolutionarily conserved component of the actin reorganization complex. polished rice/tarsal-less and mille-pattes encode related small peptides that are required for epithelial morphogenesis in Drosophila and segmentation in Tribolium. There are only a few known examples of small peptides encoded by sORF, and their molecular functions are still largely obscure. Nevertheless, an increasing number of sORF genes is being identified, and further research should reveal their roles in novel molecular mechanisms underlying developmental events.

Riboregulators in plant development

npcRNA (non-protein-coding RNAs) are an emerging class of regulators, so-called riboregulators, and include a large diversity of small RNAs [miRNAs (microRNAs)/siRNAs (small interfering RNAs)] that are involved in various developmental processes in plants and animals. In addition, several other npcRNAs encompassing various transcript sizes (up to several kilobases) have been identified using different genomic approaches. Much less is known about the mechanism of action of these other classes of riboregulators also present in the cell. The organogenesis of nitrogen-fixing nodules in legume plants is initiated in specific root cortical cells that express the npcRNA MtENOD40 (Medicago truncatula early nodulin 40). We have identified a novel RBP (RNA-binding protein), MtRBP1 (M. truncatula RBP 1), which interacts with the MtENOD40 RNA, and is exported into the cytoplasm during legume nodule development in the region expressing MtENOD40. A direct involvement of the MtENOD40 RNA in the relocalization of this RBP into cytoplasmic granules could be demonstrated, revealing a new RNA function in the cell. To extend these results, we searched for npcRNAs in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana whose genome is completely known. We have identified 86 novel npcRNAs from which 27 corresponded to antisense RNAs of known coding regions. Using a dedicated 'macroarray' containing these npcRNAs and a collection of RBPs, we characterized their regulation in different tissues and plants subjected to environmental stresses. Most of the npcRNAs showed high variations in gene expression in contrast with the RBP genes. Recent large-scale analysis of the sRNA component of the transcriptome revealed an enormous diversity of siRNAs/miRNAs in the Arabidopsis genome. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that 34 large npcRNAs are precursors of siRNAs/miRNAs. npcRNAs, which are a sensitive component of the transcriptome, may reveal novel riboregulatory mechanisms involved in post-transcriptional control of differentiation or environmental responses.

Transient erythromycin resistance phenotype associated with peptidyl-tRNA drop-off on early UGG and GGG codons

Expression of minigenes encoding tetra- or pentapeptides MXLX or MXLXV (E peptides), where X is a nonpolar amino acid, renders cells erythromycin resistant whereas expression of minigenes encoding tripeptide MXL does not. By using a 3A' reporter gene system beginning with an E-peptide-encoding sequence, we asked whether the codons UGG and GGG, which are known to promote peptidyl-tRNA drop-off at early positions in mRNA, would result in a phenotype of erythromycin resistance if located after this sequence. We find that UGG or GGG, at either position +4 or +5, without a following stop codon, is associated with an erythromycin resistance phenotype upon gene induction. Our results suggest that, while a stop codon at +4 gives a tripeptide product (MIL) and erythromycin sensitivity, UGG or GGG codons at the same position give a tetrapeptide product (MILW or MILG) and phenotype of erythromycin resistance. Thus, the drop-off event on GGG or UGG codons occurs after incorporation of the corresponding amino acid into the growing peptide chain. Drop-off gives rise to a peptidyl-tRNA where the peptide moiety functionally mimics a minigene peptide product of the type previously associated with erythromycin resistance. Several genes in Escherichia coli fulfill the requirements of high mRNA expression and an E-peptide sequence followed by UGG or GGG at position +4 or +5 and should potentially be able to give an erythromycin resistance phenotype.

Modes and modulations of antibiotic resistance gene expression

Since antibiotic resistance usually affords a gain of function, there is an associated biological cost resulting in a loss of fitness of the bacterial host. Considering that antibiotic resistance is most often only transiently advantageous to bacteria, an efficient and elegant way for them to escape the lethal action of drugs is the alteration of resistance gene expression. It appears that expression of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is frequently regulated, which indicates that modulation of gene expression probably reflects a good compromise between energy saving and adjustment to a rapidly evolving environment. Modulation of gene expression can occur at the transcriptional or translational level following mutations or the movement of mobile genetic elements and may involve induction by the antibiotic. In the latter case, the antibiotic can have a triple activity: as an antibacterial agent, as an inducer of resistance to itself, and as an inducer of the dissemination of resistance determinants. We will review certain mechanisms, all reversible, that bacteria have elaborated to achieve antibiotic resistance by the fine-tuning of the expression of genetic information.

Characterization of 43 non-protein-coding mRNA genes in Arabidopsis, including the MIR162a-derived transcripts

Messenger RNAs that do not contain a long open reading frame (ORF) or non-protein-coding RNAs (npcRNAs) are an emerging novel class of transcripts. Their functions may involve the RNA molecule itself and/or short ORF-encoded peptides. npcRNA genes are difficult to identify using standard gene prediction programs that rely on the presence of relatively long ORFs. Here, we used detailed bioinformatic analyses of expressed sequence tag/cDNA databases to detect a restricted set of npcRNAs in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome and further characterized these transcripts using a combination of bioinformatic and molecular approaches. Compositional analyses revealed strong nucleotide strand asymmetries in the npcRNAs, as well as a biased GC content, suggesting the existence of functional constraints on these RNAs. Thirteen of these transcripts display tissue-specific expression patterns, and three are regulated in conditions affecting root architecture. The npcRNA 78 gene contains the miR162 sequence in an alternative intron and corresponds to the MIR162a locus. Although DICER-LIKE 1 (DCL1) mRNA is known to be regulated by miR162-guided cleavage, its level does not change in a mir162a mutant. Alternative splicing of npcRNA 78 leads to several transcript isoforms, which all accumulate in a dcl1 mutant. This suggests that npcRNA 78 is a genuine substrate of DCL1 and that splicing of this microRNA primary transcript and miR162 processing are competitive nuclear events. Our results provide new insights into Arabidopsis npcRNA biology and the potential roles of these genes.

The molecular mechanism of peptide-mediated erythromycin resistance

The macrolide antibiotic erythromycin binds at the entrance of the nascent peptide exit tunnel of the large ribosomal subunit and blocks synthesis of peptides longer than between six and eight amino acids. Expression of a short open reading frame in 23 S rRNA encoding five amino acids confers resistance to erythromycin by a mechanism that depends strongly on both the sequence and the length of the peptide. In this work we have used a cell-free system for protein synthesis with components of high purity to clarify the molecular basis of the mechanism. We have found that the nascent resistance peptide interacts with erythromycin and destabilizes its interaction with 23 S rRNA. It is, however, in the termination step when the pentapeptide is removed from the peptidyl-tRNA by a class 1 release factor that erythromycin is ejected from the ribosome with high probability. Synthesis of a hexa- or heptapeptide with the same five N-terminal amino acids neither leads to ejection of erythromycin nor to drug resistance. We propose a structural model for the resistance mechanism, which is supported by docking studies. The rate constants obtained from our biochemical experiments are also used to predict the degree of erythromycin resistance conferred by varying levels of resistance peptide expression in living Escherichia coli cells subjected to varying concentrations of erythromycin. These model predictions are compared with experimental observations from growing bacterial cultures, and excellent agreement is found between theoretical prediction and experimental observation.

Bacterial ribosomal RNA in pieces

The exact knowledge on the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) structure is an important prerequisite for work with rRNA sequences in bioinformatic analyses and in experimental research. Most available rRNA sequences of bacteria are based on gene sequences and on similarity analyses using Escherichia coli rRNA as a standard. Therefore, it is often overlooked that many bacteria harbour mature rRNA 'in pieces'. In some cases, the processing steps during the fragmentation lead to the removal of rRNA segments that are usually found in the ribosome. In this review, the current knowledge on the mechanisms of rRNA fragmentation and on the occurrence of fragmented rRNA in bacteria is summarized, and the physiological implications of this phenomenon are discussed.

A novel endoribonuclease, RNase LS, in Escherichia coli

The dmd gene of bacteriophage T4 is required for the stability of late-gene mRNAs. When this gene is mutated, late genes are globally silenced because of rapid degradation of their mRNAs. Our previous work suggested that a novel Escherichia coli endonuclease, RNase LS, is responsible for the rapid degradation of mRNAs. In this study, we demonstrated that rnlA (formerly yfjN) is essential for RNase LS activity both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, we investigated a role of RNase LS in the RNA metabolism of E. coli cells under vegetative growth conditions. A mutation in rnlA reduced the decay rate of many E. coli mRNAs, although there are differences in the mutational effects on the stabilization of different mRNAs. In addition, we found that a 307-nucleotide fragment with an internal sequence of 23S rRNA accumulated to a high level in rnlA mutant cells. These results strongly suggest that RNase LS plays a role in the RNA metabolism of E. coli as well as phage T4.

ANTIBIOTICS TARGETING RIBOSOMES: Resistance, Selectivity, Synergism, and Cellular Regulation

Antibiotics target ribosomes at distinct locations within functionally relevant sites. They exert their inhibitory action by diverse modes, including competing with substrate binding, interfering with ribosomal dynamics, minimizing ribosomal mobility, facilitating miscoding, hampering the progression of the mRNA chain, and blocking the nascent protein exit tunnel. Although the ribosomes are highly conserved organelles, they possess subtle sequence and/or conformational variations. These enable drug selectivity, thus facilitating clinical usage. The structural implications of these differences were deciphered by comparisons of high-resolution structures of complexes of antibiotics with ribosomal particles from eubacteria resembling pathogens and from an archaeon that shares properties with eukaryotes. The various antibiotic-binding modes detected in these structures demonstrate that members of antibiotic families possessing common chemical elements with minute differences might bind to ribosomal pockets in significantly different modes, governed by their chemical properties. Similarly, the nature of seemingly identical mechanisms of drug resistance is dominated, directly or via cellular effects, by the antibiotics' chemical properties. The observed variability in antibiotic binding and inhibitory modes justifies expectations for structurally based improved properties of existing compounds as well as for the discovery of novel drug classes.

Peptide-mediated macrolide resistance reveals possible specific interactions in the nascent peptide exit tunnel

Expression of specific short peptides can render cells resistant to macrolide antibiotics. Peptides conferring resistance to structurally different macrolides including oleandomycin, azithromycin, azaerythromycin, josamycin and a ketolide cethromycin were selected from a random pentapeptide expression library. Analysis of the entire collection of the resistance peptides allowed their classification into five distinct groups according to their sequence similarity and the type of resistance they confer. A strong correlation was observed between the structures of macrolide antibiotics and sequences of the peptides conferring resistance. Such a correlation indicates that sequence-specific interactions between the nascent peptide and the macrolide antibiotic and/or the ribosome can occur in the ribosomal exit tunnel.

Enod40, a short open reading frame-containing mRNA, induces cytoplasmic localization of a nuclear RNA binding protein in Medicago truncatula

In eukaryotes, diverse mRNAs containing only short open reading frames (sORF-mRNAs) are induced at specific stages of development. Their mechanisms of action may involve the RNA itself and/or sORF-encoded oligopeptides. Enod40 genes code for highly structured plant sORF-mRNAs involved in root nodule organogenesis. A novel RNA binding protein interacting with the enod40 RNA, MtRBP1 (for Medicago truncatula RNA Binding Protein 1), was identified using a yeast three-hybrid screening. Immunolocalization studies and use of a MtRBP1-DsRed2 fluorescent protein fusion showed that MtRBP1 localized to nuclear speckles in plant cells but was exported into the cytoplasm during nodule development in enod40-expressing cells. Direct involvement of the enod40 RNA in MtRBP1 relocalization into cytoplasmic granules was shown using a transient expression assay. Using a (green fluorescent protein)/MS2 bacteriophage system to tag the enod40 RNA, we detected in vivo colocalization of the enod40 RNA and MtRBP1 in these granules. This in vivo approach to monitor RNA-protein interactions allowed us to demonstrate that cytoplasmic relocalization of nuclear proteins is an RNA-mediated cellular function of a sORF-mRNA.

High throughput immuno-screening of cDNA expression libraries produced by in vitro recombination; exploring the Plasmodium falciparum proteome

Improved Plasmodium falciparum cDNA expression libraries were constructed by combining mRNA oligo-capping with in vitro recombination and directional cloning of cDNA inserts into a plasmid vector that expresses sequences as thioredoxin fusion proteins. A novel procedure has also been developed for the rapid identification of seropositive clones on high-density filters, using direct labelling of P. falciparum immune immunoglobulin with fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC). This approach combines the advantages of recombination-assisted cDNA cloning with high throughput, non-radioactive serological screening of expression libraries. Production of replicate colony matrices allows the identification of antigens recognised by different pools with different specificities from residents of a malaria endemic region. Analyses of DNA sequences derived from sero-reactive colonies indicate that this is an effective method for producing recombinant proteins that react with antibodies from malaria-exposed individuals. This approach permits the systematic construction of a database of antigenic proteins recognised by sera from malaria-exposed individuals.

Gene Organization: Selection, Selfishness, and Serendipity

The apparati behind the replication, transcription, and translation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes are quite different. Yet in both classes of organisms, genes may be organized in their respective chromosomes in similar ways by virtue of similarly acting selective forces. In addition, some gene organizations reflect biology unique to each class of organisms. Levels of organization are more complex than those of the simple operon. Multiple transcription units may be organized into larger units, local control regions may act over large chromosomal regions in eukaryotic chromosomes, and cis-acting genes may control the expression of downstream genes in all classes of organisms. All these mechanisms lead to genomes being far more organized, in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, than hitherto imagined.

The rate of peptidyl-tRNA dissociation from the ribosome during minigene expression depends on the nature of the last decoding interaction

The expression of some very short open reading frames (ORFs) in Escherichia coli results in peptidyl-tRNA accumulation that is lethal to cells defective in peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase activity. In an attempt to understand the factors that affect this phenotype, we have surveyed the toxicity of a complete set of two-codon ORFs cloned as minigenes in inducible expression vectors. The minigenes were tested in hydrolase-defective hosts and classified according to their degree of toxicity. In general, minigenes harboring codons belonging to the same box in the standard table of the genetic code mediated similar degrees of toxicity. Moreover, the levels of peptidyl-tRNA accumulation for synonymous minigenes decoded by the same tRNA were comparable. However, two exceptions were observed: (i) expression of minigenes harboring the Arg codons CGA, CGU, and CGC, resulted in the accumulation of different levels of the unique peptidyl-tRNAArg-2 and (ii) the toxicity of minigenes containing CUG and UCU codons, each recognized by two different tRNAs, depended on peptidyl-tRNA accumulation of only one of them. Non-toxic, or partly toxic, minigenes prompted higher accumulation levels of peptidyl-tRNA upon deprivation of active RF1, implying that translation termination occurred efficiently. Our data indicate that the nature of the last decoding tRNA is crucial in the rate of peptidyl-tRNA release from the ribosome.

Shared strategies in gene organization among prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Although genes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes are transcribed and translated by very different mechanisms, they may be organized in their respective chromosomes in surprisingly similar ways. Here, I examine common modes of maintaining nonrandom gene organization in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the different ways these organizations have likely arisen, and classes of organization that may be unique to one group or the other.

Limitation of ribosomal protein L11 availability in vivo affects translation termination

Historically referred to as "the GTPase center", the L11 binding region (L11BR) of Escherichia coli 23 S rRNA is a highly conserved structure that has been implicated in several essential functions during protein synthesis. Here, in vivo expression of an RNA fragment containing that structure was found to affect translation termination in a codon-specific manner. The cause of these effects appeared to be titration of ribosomal protein L11, since normal phenotypes could be restored by simultaneous overproduction of wild-type L11 but not mutant L11. Subsequently, altered termination phenotypes were produced when the availability of L11 was limited by overexpression of RNA antisense to L11 mRNA and, finally, by inactivation of the chromosomal L11 gene, and they too were reversible by simultaneous expression of cloned L11. Our results indicate that in the intact cell the L11BR is an integral functional unit important for translation termination and that the presence of L11 in ribosomes is required for UAG-dependent termination and is somewhat inhibitory of UGA-dependent termination.

Ribin, a protein encoded by a message complementary to rRNA, modulates ribosomal transcription and cell proliferation

The control of rRNA transcription, tightly coupled to the cell cycle and growth state of the cell, is a key process for understanding the mechanisms that drive cell proliferation. Here we describe a novel protein, ribin, found in rodents, that binds to the rRNA promoter and stimulates its activity. The protein also interacts with the basal rRNA transcription factor UBF. The open reading frame encoding ribin is 96% complementary to a central region of the large rRNA. This demonstrates that ribosomal DNA-related sequences in higher eukaryotes can be expressed as protein-coding messages. Ribin contains two predicted nuclear localization sequence elements, and green fluorescent protein-ribin fusion proteins localize in the nucleus. Cell lines overexpressing ribin exhibit enhanced rRNA transcription and faster growth. Furthermore, these cells significantly overcome the suppression of rRNA synthesis caused by serum deprivation. On the other hand, the endogenous ribin level correlates positively with the amount of serum in the medium. The data show that ribin is a limiting stimulatory factor for rRNA synthesis in vivo and suggest its involvement in the pathway that adapts ribosomal transcription and cell proliferation to physiological changes.

SERF: in vitro election of random RNA fragments to identify protein binding sites within large RNAs

In vitro selection experiments have various goals depending on the composition of the initial pool and the selection method applied. We developed an in vitro selection variant (SERF, selection of random RNA fragments) that is useful for the identification of short RNA fragments originating from large RNAs that bind specifically to a protein. A pool of randomly fragmented RNA is constructed from a large RNA, which is the natural binding partner for a protein. Such a pool contains all the potential binding sites and is therefore used as starting material for affinity selection with the purified protein to find its natural target. Here we provide a detailed experimental protocol of the method. SERF has been developed for ribosomal systems and is a general approach providing a basis for functional and structural characterization of RNA-protein interactions in large ribonucleoprotein particles.

Structural basis for the interaction of antibiotics with the peptidyl transferase centre in eubacteria

Ribosomes, the site of protein synthesis, are a major target for natural and synthetic antibiotics. Detailed knowledge of antibiotic binding sites is central to understanding the mechanisms of drug action. Conversely, drugs are excellent tools for studying the ribosome function. To elucidate the structural basis of ribosome-antibiotic interactions, we determined the high-resolution X-ray structures of the 50S ribosomal subunit of the eubacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, complexed with the clinically relevant antibiotics chloramphenicol, clindamycin and the three macrolides erythromycin, clarithromycin and roxithromycin. We found that antibiotic binding sites are composed exclusively of segments of 23S ribosomal RNA at the peptidyl transferase cavity and do not involve any interaction of the drugs with ribosomal proteins. Here we report the details of antibiotic interactions with the components of their binding sites. Our results also show the importance of putative Mg+2 ions for the binding of some drugs. This structural analysis should facilitate rational drug design.