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Giarimoglou N, Kouvela A, Zhang J, Stamatopoulou V, Stathopoulos C. Structural idiosyncrasies of glycyl T-box riboswitches among pathogenic bacteria. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 30:1328-1344. [PMID: 38981655 PMCID: PMC11404447 DOI: 10.1261/rna.080071.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
T-box riboswitches are widespread bacterial regulatory noncoding RNAs that directly interact with tRNAs and switch conformations to regulate the transcription or translation of genes related to amino acid metabolism. Recent studies in Bacilli have revealed the core mechanisms of T-boxes that enable multivalent, specific recognition of both the identity and aminoacylation status of the tRNA substrates. However, in-depth knowledge on a vast number of T-boxes in other bacterial species remains scarce, although a remarkable structural diversity, particularly among pathogens, is apparent. In the present study, analysis of T-boxes that control the transcription of glycyl-tRNA synthetases from four prominent human pathogens revealed significant structural idiosyncrasies. Nonetheless, these diverse T-boxes maintain functional T-box:tRNAGly interactions both in vitro and in vivo. Probing analysis not only validated recent structural observations, but also expanded our knowledge on the substantial diversities among T-boxes and suggest interesting distinctions from the canonical Bacilli T-boxes. Surprisingly, some glycyl T-boxes seem to redirect the T-box trajectory in the absence of recognizable K-turns or contain Stem II modules that are generally absent in glycyl T-boxes. These results consolidate the notion of a lineage-specific diversification and elaboration of the T-box mechanism and corroborate the potential of T-boxes as promising species-specific RNA targets for next-generation antibacterial compounds.
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MESH Headings
- Riboswitch/genetics
- Nucleic Acid Conformation
- RNA, Bacterial/genetics
- RNA, Bacterial/metabolism
- RNA, Bacterial/chemistry
- Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
- Glycine-tRNA Ligase/genetics
- Glycine-tRNA Ligase/metabolism
- Glycine-tRNA Ligase/chemistry
- RNA, Transfer, Gly/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Gly/genetics
- RNA, Transfer, Gly/chemistry
- Base Sequence
- Bacteria/genetics
- Bacteria/metabolism
- Humans
- RNA, Transfer/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer/genetics
- RNA, Transfer/chemistry
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoleta Giarimoglou
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Adamantia Kouvela
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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2
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Delarouzée A, Lopes Ferreira N, Baum C, Wasels F. Gene essentiality in the solventogenic Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0028224. [PMID: 38864631 PMCID: PMC11267918 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00282-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridium acetobutylicum is a solventogenic, anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium that is commonly considered the model organism for studying acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation. The need to produce these chemicals sustainably and with a minimal impact on the environment has revived the interest in research on this bacterium. The recent development of efficient genetic tools allows to better understand the physiology of this micro-organism, aiming at improving its fermentation capacities. Knowledge about gene essentiality would guide the future genetic editing strategies and support the understanding of crucial cellular functions in this bacterium. In this work, we applied a transposon insertion site sequencing method to generate large mutant libraries containing millions of independent mutants that allowed us to identify a core group of 418 essential genes needed for in vitro development. Future research on this significant biocatalyst will be guided by the data provided in this work, which will serve as a valuable resource for the community. IMPORTANCE Clostridium acetobutylicum is a leading candidate to synthesize valuable compounds like three and four carbons alcohols. Its ability to convert carbohydrates into a mixture of acetone, butanol, and ethanol as well as other chemicals of interest upon genetic engineering makes it an advantageous organism for the valorization of lignocellulose-derived sugar mixtures. Since, genetic optimization depends on the fundamental insights supplied by accurate gene function assignment, gene essentiality analysis is of great interest as it can shed light on the function of many genes whose functions are still to be confirmed. The data obtained in this study will be of great value for the research community aiming to develop C. acetobutylicum as a platform organism for the production of chemicals of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chloé Baum
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Plate-forme Technologique Biomics, Paris, France
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3
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Lewis AM, Fallon T, Dittemore GA, Sheppard K. Evolution and variation in amide aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis. IUBMB Life 2024. [PMID: 38391119 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The amide proteogenic amino acids, asparagine and glutamine, are two of the twenty amino acids used in translation by all known life. The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases for asparagine and glutamine, asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase and glutaminyl tRNA synthetase, evolved after the split in the last universal common ancestor of modern organisms. Before that split, life used two-step indirect pathways to synthesize asparagine and glutamine on their cognate tRNAs to form the aminoacyl-tRNA used in translation. These two-step pathways were retained throughout much of the bacterial and archaeal domains of life and eukaryotic organelles. The indirect routes use non-discriminating aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetase and non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase) to misaminoacylate the tRNA. The misaminoacylated tRNA formed is then transamidated into the amide aminoacyl-tRNA used in protein synthesis by tRNA-dependent amidotransferases (GatCAB and GatDE). The enzymes and tRNAs involved assemble into complexes known as transamidosomes to help maintain translational fidelity. These pathways have evolved to meet the varied cellular needs across a diverse set of organisms, leading to significant variation. In certain bacteria, the indirect pathways may provide a means to adapt to cellular stress by reducing the fidelity of protein synthesis. The retention of these indirect pathways versus acquisition of asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase and glutaminyl tRNA synthetase in lineages likely involves a complex interplay of the competing uses of glutamine and asparagine beyond translation, energetic costs, co-evolution between enzymes and tRNA, and involvement in stress response that await further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Lewis
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
| | - Trevor Fallon
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
| | | | - Kelly Sheppard
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
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4
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Joseph RC, Kelley SQ, Kim NM, Sandoval NR. Metabolic Engineering and the Synthetic Biology Toolbox for
Clostridium. Metab Eng 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527823468.ch16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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5
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Zhu C, Du G, Zhang J, Xue C. A high-efficient strategy for combinatorial engineering paralogous gene family: A case study on histidine kinases in Clostridium. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:2770-2780. [PMID: 33871069 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms harbor bulks of functionally similar or undefined genes, which belong to paralogous gene family. There is a necessity of exploring combinatorial or interactive functions of these genes, but conventional loss-of-function strategy with one-by-one rounds suffers extremely low efficiency for generating mutant libraries with all gene permutations. Here, taking histidine kinases (HKs) in Clostridium acetobutylicum as a proof-of-concept, we developed a multi-plasmid cotransformation strategy for generating all theoretical HKs combinations in one round. For five HKs with 31 theoretical combinations, the library containing 22 mutants within all the possible HKs-inactivated combinations was constructed with 11 days compared to 242 days by conventional strategy, while the other 9 combinations cannot survive. Six mutants with the enhanced butanol production and tolerance were obtained with changes of cell development during fermentation, one of which could produce 54.2% more butanol (56.4% more solvents), while the butanol production of other mutants was unchanged or decreased. The cotransformation strategy demonstrated potentials for fast exploring pleiotropic function of paralogous family genes in cell survival, cell development, and target product metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhu
- School of Bioengineering, Engineering Research Center of Application and Transformation for Synthetic Biology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.,Ningbo Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Ningbo, China
| | - Guangqing Du
- School of Bioengineering, Engineering Research Center of Application and Transformation for Synthetic Biology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.,Ningbo Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Ningbo, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Bioengineering, Engineering Research Center of Application and Transformation for Synthetic Biology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Chuang Xue
- School of Bioengineering, Engineering Research Center of Application and Transformation for Synthetic Biology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.,Ningbo Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Ningbo, China
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6
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Gyulev IS, Willson BJ, Hennessy RC, Krabben P, Jenkinson ER, Thomas GH. Part by Part: Synthetic Biology Parts Used in Solventogenic Clostridia. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:311-327. [PMID: 29186949 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The solventogenic Clostridia are of interest to the chemical industry because of their natural ability to produce chemicals such as butanol, acetone and ethanol from diverse feedstocks. Their use as whole cell factories presents multiple metabolic engineering targets that could lead to improved sustainability and profitability of Clostridium industrial processes. However, engineering efforts have been held back by the scarcity of genetic and synthetic biology tools. Over the past decade, genetic tools to enable transformation and chromosomal modifications have been developed, but the lack of a broad palette of synthetic biology parts remains one of the last obstacles to the rapid engineered improvement of these species for bioproduction. We have systematically reviewed existing parts that have been used in the modification of solventogenic Clostridia, revealing a narrow range of empirically chosen and nonengineered parts that are in current use. The analysis uncovers elements, such as promoters, transcriptional terminators and ribosome binding sites where increased fundamental knowledge is needed for their reliable use in different applications. Together, the review provides the most comprehensive list of parts used and also presents areas where an improved toolbox is needed for full exploitation of these industrially important bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan S. Gyulev
- Department
of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin J. Willson
- Department
of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Rosanna C. Hennessy
- Department
of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, 1871, Denmark
| | - Preben Krabben
- Green Biologics Limited, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RU, United Kingdom
| | | | - Gavin H. Thomas
- Department
of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
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7
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Stamatopoulou V, Apostolidi M, Li S, Lamprinou K, Papakyriakou A, Zhang J, Stathopoulos C. Direct modulation of T-box riboswitch-controlled transcription by protein synthesis inhibitors. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:10242-10258. [PMID: 28973457 PMCID: PMC5622331 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, it was discovered that exposure to mainstream antibiotics activate numerous bacterial riboregulators that control antibiotic resistance genes including metabolite-binding riboswitches and other transcription attenuators. However, the effects of commonly used antibiotics, many of which exhibit RNA-binding properties, on the widespread T-box riboswitches, remain unknown. In Staphylococcus aureus, a species-specific glyS T-box controls the supply of glycine for both ribosomal translation and cell wall synthesis, making it a promising target for next-generation antimicrobials. Here, we report that specific protein synthesis inhibitors could either significantly increase T-box-mediated transcription antitermination, while other compounds could suppress it, both in vitro and in vivo. In-line probing of the full-length T-box combined with molecular modelling and docking analyses suggest that the antibiotics that promote transcription antitermination stabilize the T-box:tRNA complex through binding specific positions on stem I and the Staphylococcal-specific stem Sa. By contrast, the antibiotics that attenuate T-box transcription bind to other positions on stem I and do not interact with stem Sa. Taken together, our results reveal that the transcription of essential genes controlled by T-box riboswitches can be directly modulated by commonly used protein synthesis inhibitors. These findings accentuate the regulatory complexities of bacterial response to antimicrobials that involve multiple riboregulators.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Apostolidi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Shuang Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Katerina Lamprinou
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Athanasios Papakyriakou
- Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Athens, Greece
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 50 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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8
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Transcriptomic profiles of Clostridium ljungdahlii during lithotrophic growth with syngas or H 2 and CO 2 compared to organotrophic growth with fructose. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13135. [PMID: 29030620 PMCID: PMC5640608 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12712-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium ljungdahlii derives energy by lithotrophic and organotrophic acetogenesis. C. ljungdahlii was grown organotrophically with fructose and also lithotrophically, either with syngas - a gas mixture containing hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO), or with H2 and CO2. Gene expression was compared quantitatively by microarrays using RNA extracted from all three conditions. Gene expression with fructose and with H2/CO2 was compared by RNA-Seq. Upregulated genes with both syngas and H2/CO2 (compared to fructose) point to the urea cycle, uptake and degradation of peptides and amino acids, response to sulfur starvation, potentially NADPH-producing pathways involving (S)-malate and ornithine, quorum sensing, sporulation, and cell wall remodeling, suggesting a global and multicellular response to lithotrophic conditions. With syngas, the upregulated (R)-lactate dehydrogenase gene represents a route of electron transfer from ferredoxin to NAD. With H2/CO2, flavodoxin and histidine biosynthesis genes were upregulated. Downregulated genes corresponded to an intracytoplasmic microcompartment for disposal of methylglyoxal, a toxic byproduct of glycolysis, as 1-propanol. Several cytoplasmic and membrane-associated redox-active protein genes were differentially regulated. The transcriptomic profiles of C. ljungdahlii in lithotrophic and organotrophic growth modes indicate large-scale physiological and metabolic differences, observations that may guide biofuel and commodity chemical production with this species.
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9
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Soutourina O. RNA-based control mechanisms of Clostridium difficile. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017; 36:62-68. [PMID: 28214735 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile (CD)-associated diarrhoea is currently the most prevalent nosocomial diarrhoea worldwide. Many characteristics of CD pathogenicity remain poorly understood. Recent data strongly indicate the importance of an RNA network for the control of gene expression in CD. More than 200 regulatory RNAs have been identified by deep sequencing and targeted approaches, including Hfq-dependent trans riboregulators, cis-antisense RNAs, CRISPR RNAs, and c-di-GMP-responsive riboswitches. These regulatory RNAs are involved in the control of major processes in the CD infection cycle, for example motility, biofilm formation, adhesion, sporulation, stress response, and defence against bacteriophages. We will discuss recent advances in elucidation of the original features of RNA-based mechanisms in this important enteropathogen. This knowledge may pave the way for further discoveries in this emergent field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Soutourina
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Cellule Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France; Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France.
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10
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Siqueira FM, de Morais GL, Higashi S, Beier LS, Breyer GM, de Sá Godinho CP, Sagot MF, Schrank IS, Zaha A, de Vasconcelos ATR. Mycoplasma non-coding RNA: identification of small RNAs and targets. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:743. [PMID: 27801290 PMCID: PMC5088518 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3061-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bacterial non-coding RNAs act by base-pairing as regulatory elements in crucial biological processes. We performed the identification of trans-encoded small RNAs (sRNA) from the genomes of Mycoplama hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma flocculare and Mycoplasma hyorhinis, which are Mycoplasma species that have been identified in the porcine respiratory system. Results A total of 47, 15 and 11 putative sRNAs were predicted in M. hyopneumoniae, M. flocculare and M. hyorhinis, respectively. A comparative genomic analysis revealed the presence of species or lineage specific sRNA candidates. Furthermore, the expression profile of some M. hyopneumoniae sRNAs was determined by a reverse transcription amplification approach, in three different culture conditions. All tested sRNAs were transcribed in at least one condition. A detailed investigation revealed a differential expression profile for two M. hyopneumoniae sRNAs in response to oxidative and heat shock stress conditions, suggesting that their expression is influenced by environmental signals. Moreover, we analyzed sRNA-mRNA hybrids and accessed putative target genes for the novel sRNA candidates. The majority of the sRNAs showed interaction with multiple target genes, some of which could be linked to pathogenesis and cell homeostasis activity. Conclusion This study contributes to our knowledge of Mycoplasma sRNAs and their response to environmental changes. Furthermore, the mRNA target prediction provides a perspective for the characterization and comprehension of the function of the sRNA regulatory mechanisms. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3061-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciele Maboni Siqueira
- Centro de Biotecnologia (CBiot), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Loss de Morais
- Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica (LNCC), Laboratório de Bioinformática (LABINFO), Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Susan Higashi
- Inria Grenoble Rhône-Alpes, 38330, Montbonnot Saint-Martin, France.,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,CNRS, UMR5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laura Scherer Beier
- Centro de Biotecnologia (CBiot), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Merker Breyer
- Centro de Biotecnologia (CBiot), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Caio Padoan de Sá Godinho
- Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica (LNCC), Laboratório de Bioinformática (LABINFO), Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marie-France Sagot
- Inria Grenoble Rhône-Alpes, 38330, Montbonnot Saint-Martin, France.,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,CNRS, UMR5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Irene Silveira Schrank
- Centro de Biotecnologia (CBiot), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Zaha
- Centro de Biotecnologia (CBiot), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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11
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Nair N, Raff H, Islam MT, Feen M, Garofalo DM, Sheppard K. The Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus halodurans Aspartyl-tRNA Synthetases Retain Recognition of tRNA(Asn). J Mol Biol 2016; 428:618-630. [PMID: 26804570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Synthesis of asparaginyl-tRNA (Asn-tRNA(Asn)) in bacteria can be formed either by directly ligating Asn to tRNA(Asn) using an asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS) or by synthesizing Asn on the tRNA. In the latter two-step indirect pathway, a non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetase (ND-AspRS) attaches Asp to tRNA(Asn) and the amidotransferase GatCAB transamidates the Asp to Asn on the tRNA. GatCAB can be similarly used for Gln-tRNA(Gln) formation. Most bacteria are predicted to use only one route for Asn-tRNA(Asn) formation. Given that Bacillus halodurans and Bacillus subtilis encode AsnRS for Asn-tRNA(Asn) formation and Asn synthetases to synthesize Asn and GatCAB for Gln-tRNA(Gln) synthesis, their AspRS enzymes were thought to be specific for tRNA(Asp). However, we demonstrate that the AspRSs are non-discriminating and can be used with GatCAB to synthesize Asn. The results explain why B. subtilis with its Asn synthetase genes knocked out is still an Asn prototroph. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that this may be common among Firmicutes and 30% of all bacteria. In addition, the phylogeny revealed that discrimination toward tRNA(Asp) by AspRS has evolved independently multiple times. The retention of the indirect pathway in B. subtilis and B. halodurans likely reflects the ancient link between Asn biosynthesis and its use in translation that enabled Asn to be added to the genetic code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilendra Nair
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA
| | - Hannah Raff
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA
| | | | - Melanie Feen
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA
| | - Denise M Garofalo
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA
| | - Kelly Sheppard
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA.
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12
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Apostolidi M, Saad NY, Drainas D, Pournaras S, Becker HD, Stathopoulos C. A glyS T-box riboswitch with species-specific structural features responding to both proteinogenic and nonproteinogenic tRNAGly isoacceptors. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2015; 21:1790-806. [PMID: 26276802 PMCID: PMC4574755 DOI: 10.1261/rna.052712.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In Staphylococcus aureus, a T-box riboswitch exists upstream of the glyS gene to regulate transcription of the sole glycyl-tRNA synthetase, which aminoacylates five tRNA(Gly) isoacceptors bearing GCC or UCC anticodons. Subsequently, the glycylated tRNAs serve as substrates for decoding glycine codons during translation, and also as glycine donors for exoribosomal synthesis of pentaglycine peptides during cell wall formation. Probing of the predicted T-box structure revealed a long stem I, lacking features previously described for similar T-boxes. Moreover, the antiterminator stem includes a 42-nt long intervening sequence, which is staphylococci-specific. Finally, the terminator conformation adopts a rigid two-stem structure, where the intervening sequence forms the first stem followed by the second stem, which includes the more conserved residues. Interestingly, all five tRNA(Gly) isoacceptors interact with S. aureus glyS T-box with different binding affinities and they all induce transcription readthrough at different levels. The ability of both GCC and UCC anticodons to interact with the specifier loop indicates ambiguity during the specifier triplet reading, similar to the unconventional reading of glycine codons during protein synthesis. The S. aureus glyS T-box structure is consistent with the recent crystallographic and NMR studies, despite apparent differences, and highlights the phylogenetic variability of T-boxes when studied in a genome-dependent context. Our data suggest that the S. aureus glyS T-box exhibits differential tRNA selectivity, which possibly contributes toward the regulation and synchronization of ribosomal and exoribosomal peptide synthesis, two essential but metabolically unrelated pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Apostolidi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Nizar Y Saad
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7156 Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Denis Drainas
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Spyros Pournaras
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Hubert D Becker
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7156 Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, F-67084 Strasbourg, France
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13
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Tan Y, Liu ZY, Liu Z, Zheng HJ, Li FL. Comparative transcriptome analysis between csrA-disruption Clostridium acetobutylicum and its parent strain. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2015; 11:1434-42. [DOI: 10.1039/c4mb00600c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This study represented the first attempt to investigate the global regulation of CsrA through transcriptome analysis in Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Tan
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Qingdao 266101
- China
| | - Zi-Yong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Qingdao 266101
- China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Qingdao 266101
- China
| | - Hua-Jun Zheng
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics
- Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai
- Shanghai 201203
- China
| | - Fu-Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Qingdao 266101
- China
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14
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Alperstein A, Ulrich B, Garofalo DM, Dreisbach R, Raff H, Sheppard K. The predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus aspartyl-tRNA synthetase recognizes tRNAAsn as a substrate. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110842. [PMID: 25338061 PMCID: PMC4206432 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus preys on other Gram-negative bacteria and was predicted to be an asparagine auxotroph. However, despite encoding asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase and glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase, B. bacteriovorus also contains the amidotransferase GatCAB. Deinococcus radiodurans, and Thermus thermophilus also encode both of these aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases with GatCAB. Both also code for a second aspartyl-tRNA synthetase and use the additional aspartyl-tRNA synthetase with GatCAB to synthesize asparagine on tRNAAsn. Unlike those two bacteria, B. bacteriovorus encodes only one aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. Here we demonstrate the lone B. bacteriovorus aspartyl-tRNA synthetase catalyzes aspartyl-tRNAAsn formation that GatCAB can then amidate to asparaginyl-tRNAAsn. This non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetase with GatCAB thus provides B. bacteriovorus a second route for Asn-tRNAAsn formation with the asparagine synthesized in a tRNA-dependent manner. Thus, in contrast to a previous prediction, B. bacteriovorus codes for a biosynthetic route for asparagine. Analysis of bacterial genomes suggests a significant number of other bacteria may also code for both routes for Asn-tRNAAsn synthesis with only a limited number encoding a second aspartyl-tRNA synthetase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Alperstein
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States of America
| | - Brittany Ulrich
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States of America
| | - Denise M. Garofalo
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States of America
| | - Ruth Dreisbach
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States of America
| | - Hannah Raff
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States of America
| | - Kelly Sheppard
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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15
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Möller P, Overlöper A, Förstner KU, Wen TN, Sharma CM, Lai EM, Narberhaus F. Profound impact of Hfq on nutrient acquisition, metabolism and motility in the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110427. [PMID: 25330313 PMCID: PMC4201532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As matchmaker between mRNA and sRNA interactions, the RNA chaperone Hfq plays a key role in riboregulation of many bacteria. Often, the global influence of Hfq on the transcriptome is reflected by substantially altered proteomes and pleiotropic phenotypes in hfq mutants. Using quantitative proteomics and co-immunoprecipitation combined with RNA-sequencing (RIP-seq) of Hfq-bound RNAs, we demonstrate the pervasive role of Hfq in nutrient acquisition, metabolism and motility of the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. 136 of 2544 proteins identified by iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) were affected in the absence of Hfq. Most of them were associated with ABC transporters, general metabolism and motility. RIP-seq of chromosomally encoded Hfq3xFlag revealed 1697 mRNAs and 209 non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) associated with Hfq. 56 ncRNAs were previously undescribed. Interestingly, 55% of the Hfq-bound ncRNAs were encoded antisense (as) to a protein-coding sequence suggesting that A. tumefaciens Hfq plays an important role in asRNA-target interactions. The exclusive enrichment of 296 mRNAs and 31 ncRNAs under virulence conditions further indicates a role for post-transcriptional regulation in A. tumefaciens-mediated plant infection. On the basis of the iTRAQ and RIP-seq data, we assembled a comprehensive model of the Hfq core regulon in A. tumefaciens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Möller
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Konrad U. Förstner
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases (ZINF), Julius-Maximilian's University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tuan-Nan Wen
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cynthia M. Sharma
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases (ZINF), Julius-Maximilian's University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Erh-Min Lai
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Franz Narberhaus
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- * E-mail:
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16
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Mladenova SR, Stein KR, Bartlett L, Sheppard K. Relaxed tRNA specificity of theStaphylococcus aureusaspartyl-tRNA synthetase enables RNA-dependent asparagine biosynthesis. FEBS Lett 2014; 588:1808-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2014] [Revised: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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17
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Mailu BM, Ramasamay G, Mudeppa DG, Li L, Lindner SE, Peterson MJ, DeRocher AE, Kappe SHI, Rathod PK, Gardner MJ. A nondiscriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase in the plasmodium apicoplast: the first enzyme in an indirect aminoacylation pathway. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:32539-32552. [PMID: 24072705 PMCID: PMC3820887 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.507467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Revised: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and related organisms possess a relict plastid known as the apicoplast. Apicoplast protein synthesis is a validated drug target in malaria because antibiotics that inhibit translation in prokaryotes also inhibit apicoplast protein synthesis and are sometimes used for malaria prophylaxis or treatment. We identified components of an indirect aminoacylation pathway for Gln-tRNA(Gln) biosynthesis in Plasmodium that we hypothesized would be essential for apicoplast protein synthesis. Here, we report our characterization of the first enzyme in this pathway, the apicoplast glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS). We expressed the recombinant P. falciparum enzyme in Escherichia coli, showed that it is nondiscriminating because it glutamylates both apicoplast tRNA(Glu) and tRNA(Gln), determined its kinetic parameters, and demonstrated its inhibition by a known bacterial GluRS inhibitor. We also localized the Plasmodium berghei ortholog to the apicoplast in blood stage parasites but could not delete the PbGluRS gene. These data show that Gln-tRNA(Gln) biosynthesis in the Plasmodium apicoplast proceeds via an essential indirect aminoacylation pathway that is reminiscent of bacteria and plastids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boniface M Mailu
- From the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | | | - Devaraja G Mudeppa
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700
| | - Ling Li
- From the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Scott E Lindner
- From the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Megan J Peterson
- From the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Amy E DeRocher
- From the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Stefan H I Kappe
- From the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109,; the Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Pradipsinh K Rathod
- the Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700; the Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Malcolm J Gardner
- From the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109,; the Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195.
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18
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Lee K, Huang X, Yang C, Lee D, Ho V, Nobuta K, Fan JB, Wang K. A genome-wide survey of highly expressed non-coding RNAs and biological validation of selected candidates in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70720. [PMID: 23950988 PMCID: PMC3738593 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a plant pathogen that has the natural ability of delivering and integrating a piece of its own DNA into plant genome. Although bacterial non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been shown to regulate various biological processes including virulence, we have limited knowledge of how Agrobacterium ncRNAs regulate this unique inter-Kingdom gene transfer. Using whole transcriptome sequencing and an ncRNA search algorithm developed for this work, we identified 475 highly expressed candidate ncRNAs from A. tumefaciens C58, including 101 trans-encoded small RNAs (sRNAs), 354 antisense RNAs (asRNAs), 20 5' untranslated region (UTR) leaders including a RNA thermosensor and 6 riboswitches. Moreover, transcription start site (TSS) mapping analysis revealed that about 51% of the mapped mRNAs have 5' UTRs longer than 60 nt, suggesting that numerous cis-acting regulatory elements might be encoded in the A. tumefaciens genome. Eighteen asRNAs were found on the complementary strands of virA, virB, virC, virD, and virE operons. Fifteen ncRNAs were induced and 7 were suppressed by the Agrobacterium virulence (vir) gene inducer acetosyringone (AS), a phenolic compound secreted by the plants. Interestingly, fourteen of the AS-induced ncRNAs have putative vir box sequences in the upstream regions. We experimentally validated expression of 36 ncRNAs using Northern blot and Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends analyses. We show functional relevance of two 5' UTR elements: a RNA thermonsensor (C1_109596F) that may regulate translation of the major cold shock protein cspA, and a thi-box riboswitch (C1_2541934R) that may transcriptionally regulate a thiamine biosynthesis operon, thiCOGG. Further studies on ncRNAs functions in this bacterium may provide insights and strategies that can be used to better manage pathogenic bacteria for plants and to improve Agrobacterum-mediated plant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keunsub Lee
- Center for Plant Transformation, Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Xiaoqiu Huang
- Department of Computer Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Chichun Yang
- Center for Plant Transformation, Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Danny Lee
- Scientific Research, Illumina Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Vincent Ho
- Scientific Research, Illumina Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Kan Nobuta
- Scientific Research, Illumina Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Jian-Bing Fan
- Scientific Research, Illumina Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Kan Wang
- Center for Plant Transformation, Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
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19
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Saad NY, Stamatopoulou V, Brayé M, Drainas D, Stathopoulos C, Becker HD. Two-codon T-box riboswitch binding two tRNAs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:12756-61. [PMID: 23858450 PMCID: PMC3732954 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1304307110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
T-box riboswitches control transcription of downstream genes through the tRNA-binding formation of terminator or antiterminator structures. Previously reported T-boxes were described as single-specificity riboswitches that can bind specific tRNA anticodons through codon-anticodon interactions with the nucleotide triplet of their specifier loop (SL). However, the possibility that T-boxes might exhibit specificity beyond a single tRNA had been overlooked. In Clostridium acetobutylicum, the T-box that regulates the operon for the essential tRNA-dependent transamidation pathway harbors a SL with two potential overlapping codon positions for tRNA(Asn) and tRNA(Glu). To test its specificity, we performed extensive mutagenic, biochemical, and chemical probing analyses. Surprisingly, both tRNAs can efficiently bind the SL in vitro and in vivo. The dual specificity of the T-box is allowed by a single base shift on the SL from one overlapping codon to the next. This feature allows the riboswitch to sense two tRNAs and balance the biosynthesis of two amino acids. Detailed genomic comparisons support our observations and suggest that "flexible" T-box riboswitches are widespread among bacteria, and, moreover, their specificity is dictated by the metabolic interconnection of the pathways under control. Taken together, our results support the notion of a genome-dependent codon ambiguity of the SLs. Furthermore, the existence of two overlapping codons imposes a unique example of tRNA-dependent regulation at the transcriptional level.
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MESH Headings
- Anticodon/chemistry
- Anticodon/genetics
- Anticodon/metabolism
- Asparagine/biosynthesis
- Asparagine/genetics
- Clostridium acetobutylicum/chemistry
- Clostridium acetobutylicum/genetics
- Clostridium acetobutylicum/metabolism
- Glutamic Acid/biosynthesis
- Glutamic Acid/genetics
- RNA, Bacterial/chemistry
- RNA, Bacterial/genetics
- RNA, Bacterial/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Asn/chemistry
- RNA, Transfer, Asn/genetics
- RNA, Transfer, Asn/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Glu/chemistry
- RNA, Transfer, Glu/genetics
- RNA, Transfer, Glu/metabolism
- Riboswitch/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Nizar Y. Saad
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7156 Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
- Unité Propre de Recherche Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, F-67084 Strasbourg, France; and
| | | | - Mélanie Brayé
- Unité Propre de Recherche Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, F-67084 Strasbourg, France; and
| | - Denis Drainas
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | | | - Hubert Dominique Becker
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7156 Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
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