1
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Guo K, Zhou J. Insights into eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A: Its role and mechanisms in protein synthesis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2024:119849. [PMID: 39303786 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2024.119849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
The protein synthesis within eukaryotic cells is a complex process involving various translation factors. Among these factors, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) emerges as a crucial translation factor with high evolutionary conservation. eIF5A is unique as it is the only protein in eukaryotic cells containing the hypusine modification. Initially presumed to be a translation initiation factor, eIF5A was subsequently discovered to act mainly during the translation elongation phase. Notably, eIF5A facilitates the translation of peptide sequences containing polyproline stretches and exerts a universal regulatory effect on the elongation and termination phases of protein synthesis. Additionally, eIF5A indirectly affects various physiological processes within the cell by modulating the translation of specific proteins. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the structure, physiological functions, various post-translational modifications of eIF5A, and its association with various human diseases. The comparison between eIF5A and its bacterial homolog, EF-P, extends the discussion to the evolutionary conservation of eIF5A. This highlights its significance across different domains of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keying Guo
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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2
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Moore PB. On the response of elongating ribosomes to forces opposing translocation. Biophys J 2024; 123:3010-3023. [PMID: 38845199 PMCID: PMC11427781 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The elongation phase of protein synthesis is a cyclic, steady-state process. It follows that its directionality is determined by the thermodynamics of the accompanying chemical reactions, which strongly favor elongation. Its irreversibility is guaranteed by its coupling to those reactions, rather being a consequence of any of the conformational changes that occur as it unfolds. It also follows that, in general, the rate of elongation is not proportional to the forward rate constants of any of its steps, including its final, mechano-chemical step, translocation. Instead, the reciprocal of the rate of elongation should be linearly related to the reciprocal of those rate constants. When the results of experiments done a decade ago to measure the effect that forces opposing translocation have on the rate of elongation are reinterpreted in light of these findings, it becomes clear that translocation was rate limiting under conditions in which those experiments were done, and that it is likely to be a Brownian ratchet process, as was concluded earlier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B Moore
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
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3
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Brischigliaro M, Krüger A, Moran JC, Antonicka H, Ahn A, Shoubridge EA, Rorbach J, Barrientos A. The human mitochondrial translation factor TACO1 alleviates mitoribosome stalling at polyproline stretches. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:9710-9726. [PMID: 39036954 PMCID: PMC11381339 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The prokaryotic translation elongation factor P (EF-P) and the eukaryotic/archaeal counterparts eIF5A/aIF5A are proteins that serve a crucial role in mitigating ribosomal stalling during the translation of specific sequences, notably those containing consecutive proline residues (1,2). Although mitochondrial DNA-encoded proteins synthesized by mitochondrial ribosomes also contain polyproline stretches, an EF-P/eIF5A mitochondrial counterpart remains unidentified. Here, we show that the missing factor is TACO1, a protein causative of a juvenile form of neurodegenerative Leigh's syndrome associated with cytochrome c oxidase deficiency, until now believed to be a translational activator of COX1 mRNA. By using a combination of metabolic labeling, puromycin release and mitoribosome profiling experiments, we show that TACO1 is required for the rapid synthesis of the polyproline-rich COX1 and COX3 cytochrome c oxidase subunits, while its requirement is negligible for other mitochondrial DNA-encoded proteins. In agreement with a role in translation efficiency regulation, we show that TACO1 cooperates with the N-terminal extension of the large ribosomal subunit bL27m to provide stability to the peptidyl-transferase center during elongation. This study illuminates the translation elongation dynamics within human mitochondria, a TACO1-mediated biological mechanism in place to mitigate mitoribosome stalling at polyproline stretches during protein synthesis, and the pathological implications of its malfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Brischigliaro
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Annika Krüger
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Max Planck Institute Biology of Ageing-Karolinska Institutet Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Conor Moran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave., Miami, FL 33136, USA
- The University of Miami Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), 1600 NW 10th Ave.,Miami, FL33136, USA
| | - Hana Antonicka
- The Neuro and Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ahram Ahn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Eric A Shoubridge
- The Neuro and Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Joanna Rorbach
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Max Planck Institute Biology of Ageing-Karolinska Institutet Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antoni Barrientos
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave., Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave., Miami, FL 33136, USA
- The Miami Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical System. 1201 NW 16th St, Miami, FL-33125, USA
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4
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Weiss JL, Decker JC, Bolano A, Krahn N. Tuning tRNAs for improved translation. Front Genet 2024; 15:1436860. [PMID: 38983271 PMCID: PMC11231383 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1436860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Transfer RNAs have been extensively explored as the molecules that translate the genetic code into proteins. At this interface of genetics and biochemistry, tRNAs direct the efficiency of every major step of translation by interacting with a multitude of binding partners. However, due to the variability of tRNA sequences and the abundance of diverse post-transcriptional modifications, a guidebook linking tRNA sequences to specific translational outcomes has yet to be elucidated. Here, we review substantial efforts that have collectively uncovered tRNA engineering principles that can be used as a guide for the tuning of translation fidelity. These principles have allowed for the development of basic research, expansion of the genetic code with non-canonical amino acids, and tRNA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Weiss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - J C Decker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Ariadna Bolano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Natalie Krahn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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5
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Zhang C, Chen S, Fu X, Dedkova LM, Hecht SM. Enhancement of N-Methyl Amino Acid Incorporation into Proteins and Peptides Using Modified Bacterial Ribosomes and Elongation Factor P. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:1330-1338. [PMID: 38769080 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.4c00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
N-Methylated amino acids are constituents of natural bioactive peptides and proteins. Nα-methylated amino acids appear abundantly in natural cyclic peptides, likely due to their constraint of peptide conformation and contribution to peptide stability. Peptides containing Nα-methylated amino acids have long been prepared by chemical synthesis. While such natural peptides are not produced ribosomally, recent ribosomal strategies have afforded Nα-methylated peptides. Presently, we define new strategies for the ribosomal incorporation of Nα-methylated amino acids into peptides and proteins. First, we identify modified ribosomes capable of facilitating the incorporation of six N-methylated amino acids into antibacterial scorpion peptide IsCT. Also synthesized analogously was a protein domain (RRM1) from hnRNP LL; improved yields were observed for nearly all tested N-methylated amino acids. Computational modeling of the ribosomal assembly illustrated how the distortion imposed by N-methylation could be compensated by altering the nucleotides in key 23S rRNA positions. Finally, it is known that incorporation of multiple prolines (an N-alkylated amino acid) ribosomally can be facilitated by bacterial elongation factor P. We report that supplementing endogenous EF-P during IsCT peptide and RRM1 protein synthesis gave improved yields for most of the N-methylated amino acids studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhang
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Shengxi Chen
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Xuan Fu
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Larisa M Dedkova
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Sidney M Hecht
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
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6
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Sigal M, Matsumoto S, Beattie A, Katoh T, Suga H. Engineering tRNAs for the Ribosomal Translation of Non-proteinogenic Monomers. Chem Rev 2024; 124:6444-6500. [PMID: 38688034 PMCID: PMC11122139 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Ribosome-dependent protein biosynthesis is an essential cellular process mediated by transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Generally, ribosomally synthesized proteins are limited to the 22 proteinogenic amino acids (pAAs: 20 l-α-amino acids present in the standard genetic code, selenocysteine, and pyrrolysine). However, engineering tRNAs for the ribosomal incorporation of non-proteinogenic monomers (npMs) as building blocks has led to the creation of unique polypeptides with broad applications in cellular biology, material science, spectroscopy, and pharmaceuticals. Ribosomal polymerization of these engineered polypeptides presents a variety of challenges for biochemists, as translation efficiency and fidelity is often insufficient when employing npMs. In this Review, we will focus on the methodologies for engineering tRNAs to overcome these issues and explore recent advances both in vitro and in vivo. These efforts include increasing orthogonality, recruiting essential translation factors, and creation of expanded genetic codes. After our review on the biochemical optimizations of tRNAs, we provide examples of their use in genetic code manipulation, with a focus on the in vitro discovery of bioactive macrocyclic peptides containing npMs. Finally, an analysis of the current state of tRNA engineering is presented, along with existing challenges and future perspectives for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Sigal
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Satomi Matsumoto
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Adam Beattie
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takayuki Katoh
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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7
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Yu T, Chen J, Wu S, Jiang M, Han L, Ma Y. Potential functionality of Cutibacterium acnes extracellular vesicles in atopic dermatitis and acne vulgaris: A comparative proteomic analysis. Proteomics Clin Appl 2024:e2300106. [PMID: 38639920 DOI: 10.1002/prca.202300106] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutibacterium acnes is a commensal bacterium residing in healthy skin and plays a critical role in maintaining skin homeostasis. C. acnes has been considered closely related to acne vulgaris, while recent studies suggest that C. acnes and its metabolites may have a protective role in atopic dermatitis (AD) by modulating the immune system and maintaining skin homeostasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membranous vesicles secreted by bacteria that participate in bacteria-host interactions. METHODS This study first compared C. acnes EVs from AD lesions (AD-EVs), acne lesions (Acne-EVs), and healthy skin (NC-EVs), using Label-free quantitative LC-MS/MS and validated differently expressed proteins by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). Then Normal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes (NHEK) and human primary keratinocytes (KC) were treated with C. acnes EVs isolated from different groups, and the expressions of inflammatory factors were measured by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS Compared with the acne group, the AD group showed greater downregulation of proteins related to energy metabolism and carbon source utilization pathway. Differences in protein profile in AD and acne lesion-separated C. acnes EVs correspond to the abnormal sebum secretion pattern in both diseases. C. acnes EVs from different groups affected different expressions of Th1 and Th2 inflammatory factors and epidermal barrier markers in NHEK and KC, indicating different immunomodulatory potentials. CONCLUSIONS This study observed distinct proteomic differences between AD-EVs and Acne-EVs, and provided insights into the functional differences of C. acnes EVs in AD and acne.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianze Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi Wu
- Institute of Antibiotics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, SinoUnited Health, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Han
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Ma
- Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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8
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Zheng X, Sun X, Xiang W, Ni H, Zou L, Long ZE. Expression of Staphylococcus aureus translation elongation factor P is regulated by a stress-inducible promotor. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2024; 117:54. [PMID: 38489110 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-024-01954-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Translation elongation factor P, expressed by the efp gene, is a conserved protein closely related to bacterial virulence and environmental stress regulation responses, however, little is known about the efp gene expression regulations. Here, the strain of Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus NCTC 8325 was taken as the research object and cultured under different conditions, including different culture temperatures, pH, and antibiotics, to study the expression of the efp gene in S. aureus by qRT-PCR, the results showed that the expression of the efp gene is upregulated under high temperature (40 °C), acidic (pH 5.4) or alkaline (pH 9.4) culture conditions, but upregulated early and downregulated later under the conditions of 0.5 MIC antibiotics (chloramphenicol at the final concentration of 2 μg/mL and vancomycin at the final concentration of 0.25 μg/mL), indicating that the efp promoter in S. aureus is inducible. The efp promoter sequence and structure in S. aureus were predicted by bioinformatics methods, and the predicted promoter was validated by constructing a promoter-probe vector and a series of promoter mutants, the results showed that the efp promoter sequence in S. aureus, named Pro, located in 1,548,179-1,548,250 of the S. aureus genome (NC_007795.1), and the sequence of - 10 element is CCTTATAGT, - 35 element is TTTACT. The results above could lay a foundation for screening transcription factors involved in the expression of the efp gene and then exploring the transcriptional regulation mechanism of EF-P in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Zheng
- Nanchang Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Exploitation and Utilization From Poyang Lake Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Xiuhui Sun
- Chongren County Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Chongren, 344203, China
| | - Weiwei Xiang
- Nanchang Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Exploitation and Utilization From Poyang Lake Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Haiyan Ni
- Nanchang Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Exploitation and Utilization From Poyang Lake Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Long Zou
- Nanchang Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Exploitation and Utilization From Poyang Lake Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China
| | - Zhong-Er Long
- Nanchang Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Exploitation and Utilization From Poyang Lake Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China.
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9
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Flügel T, Schacherl M, Unbehaun A, Schroeer B, Dabrowski M, Bürger J, Mielke T, Sprink T, Diebolder CA, Guillén Schlippe YV, Spahn CMT. Transient disome complex formation in native polysomes during ongoing protein synthesis captured by cryo-EM. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1756. [PMID: 38409277 PMCID: PMC10897467 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46092-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Structural studies of translating ribosomes traditionally rely on in vitro assembly and stalling of ribosomes in defined states. To comprehensively visualize bacterial translation, we reactivated ex vivo-derived E. coli polysomes in the PURE in vitro translation system and analyzed the actively elongating polysomes by cryo-EM. We find that 31% of 70S ribosomes assemble into disome complexes that represent eight distinct functional states including decoding and termination intermediates, and a pre-nucleophilic attack state. The functional diversity of disome complexes together with RNase digest experiments suggests that paused disome complexes transiently form during ongoing elongation. Structural analysis revealed five disome interfaces between leading and queueing ribosomes that undergo rearrangements as the leading ribosome traverses through the elongation cycle. Our findings reveal at the molecular level how bL9's CTD obstructs the factor binding site of queueing ribosomes to thwart harmful collisions and illustrate how translation dynamics reshape inter-ribosomal contacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Flügel
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Magdalena Schacherl
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anett Unbehaun
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Birgit Schroeer
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marylena Dabrowski
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Bürger
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Microscopy and Cryo-Electron Microscopy Service Group, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thorsten Mielke
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Microscopy and Cryo-Electron Microscopy Service Group, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thiemo Sprink
- Core Facility for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Technology Platform Cryo-EM, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph A Diebolder
- Core Facility for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Technology Platform Cryo-EM, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yollete V Guillén Schlippe
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Christian M T Spahn
- Charité - Univesitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Berlin, Germany.
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10
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Hong HR, Prince CR, Tetreault DD, Wu L, Feaga HA. YfmR is a translation factor that prevents ribosome stalling and cell death in the absence of EF-P. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314437121. [PMID: 38349882 PMCID: PMC10895253 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314437121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis is performed by the ribosome and a host of highly conserved elongation factors. Elongation factor P (EF-P) prevents ribosome stalling at difficult-to-translate sequences, such as polyproline tracts. In bacteria, phenotypes associated with efp deletion range from modest to lethal, suggesting that some species encode an additional translation factor that has similar function to EF-P. Here we identify YfmR as a translation factor that is essential in the absence of EF-P in Bacillus subtilis. YfmR is an ABCF ATPase that is closely related to both Uup and EttA, ABCFs that bind the ribosomal E-site and are conserved in more than 50% of bacterial genomes. We show that YfmR associates with actively translating ribosomes and that depleting YfmR from Δefp cells causes severe ribosome stalling at a polyproline tract in vivo. YfmR depletion from Δefp cells was lethal and caused reduced levels of actively translating ribosomes. Our results therefore identify YfmR as an important translation factor that is essential in B. subtilis in the absence of EF-P.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Rim Hong
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | | | | | - Letian Wu
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
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11
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Hong HR, Prince CR, Tetreault DD, Wu L, Feaga HA. YfmR is a translation factor that prevents ribosome stalling and cell death in the absence of EF-P. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.04.552005. [PMID: 37577462 PMCID: PMC10418254 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.04.552005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Protein synthesis is performed by the ribosome and a host of highly conserved elongation factors. Elongation factor P (EF-P) prevents ribosome stalling at difficult-to-translate sequences, particularly polyproline tracts. In bacteria, phenotypes associated with efp deletion range from modest to lethal, suggesting that some species encode an additional translation factor that has similar function to EF-P. Here we identify YfmR as a translation factor that is essential in the absence of EF-P in B. subtilis. YfmR is an ABCF ATPase that is closely related to both Uup and EttA, ABCFs that bind the ribosomal E-site and are conserved in more than 50% of bacterial genomes. We show that YfmR associates with actively translating ribosomes and that depleting YfmR from Δefp cells causes severe ribosome stalling at a polyproline tract in vivo. YfmR depletion from Δefp cells was lethal, and caused reduced levels of actively translating ribosomes. Our results therefore identify YfmR as an important translation factor that is essential in B. subtilis in the absence of EF-P.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Rim Hong
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | | | | | - Letian Wu
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Heather A. Feaga
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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12
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Daskalova SM, Dedkova LM, Maini R, Talukder P, Bai X, Chowdhury SR, Zhang C, Nangreave RC, Hecht SM. Elongation Factor P Modulates the Incorporation of Structurally Diverse Noncanonical Amino Acids into Escherichia coli Dihydrofolate Reductase. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:23600-23608. [PMID: 37871253 PMCID: PMC10762953 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of noncanonical amino acids into proteins and peptides has been of great interest for many years and has facilitated the detailed study of peptide/protein structure and mechanism. In addition to numerous nonproteinogenic α-l-amino acids, bacterial ribosome modification has provided the wherewithal to enable the synthesis of peptides and proteins with a much greater range of structural diversity, as has the use of endogenous bacterial proteins in reconstituted protein synthesizing systems. In a recent report, elongation factor P (EF-P), putatively essential for enabling the incorporation of contiguous proline residues into proteins, was shown to facilitate the introduction of an N-methylated amino acid in addition to proline. This finding prompted us to investigate the properties of this protein factor with a broad variety of structurally diverse amino acid analogues using an optimized suppressor tRNAPro that we designed. While these analogues can generally be incorporated into proteins only in systems containing modified ribosomes specifically selected for their incorporation, we found that EF-P could significantly enhance their incorporation into model protein dihydrofolate reductase using wild-type ribosomes. Plausibly, the increased yields observed in the presence of structurally diverse amino acid analogues may result from the formation of a stabilized ribosomal complex in the presence of EF-P that provides more favorable conditions for peptide bond formation. This finding should enable the facile incorporation of a much broader structural variety of amino acid analogues into proteins and peptides using native ribosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha M Daskalova
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Larisa M Dedkova
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Rumit Maini
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Poulami Talukder
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Xiaoguang Bai
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Sandipan Roy Chowdhury
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Chao Zhang
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Ryan C Nangreave
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Sidney M Hecht
- Biodesign Center for Bioenergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
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13
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Ngoennet S, Sirisattha S, Kusolkumbot P, Hibino T, Kageyama H, Waditee-Sirisattha R. Active role of the protein translation machinery in protecting against stress tolerance in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942. Arch Biochem Biophys 2023; 746:109734. [PMID: 37648010 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109734] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
In vivo protein synthesis is crucial for all domains of life. It is accomplished through translational machinery, and a key step is the translocation of tRNA-mRNA by elongation factor G (EF-G). Genome-based analysis revealed two EF-G encoding genes (S0885 and S2082) in the freshwater cyanobacterium model Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942. S0885 is the essential EF-G gene for photosynthesis. We generated a strain of S. elongatus PCC7942 that overexpressed S0885 (OX-S0885) to identify EF-G functionality. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses revealed increased transcriptional and translational levels in OX-S0885 at 10.5-13.5 and 2.0-3.0 fold, respectively. Overexpression of S0885 led to an increase in specific growth rate. Additionally, polysome-to-monosome ratio (P/M) and RNA-to-protein ratio (R/P) were elevated in OX-S0885 compared with the empty vector. Interestingly, R/P in OX-S0885 was retained at more than 70% under oxidative stress while R/P in the empty vector was severely depleted, suggesting the maintenance of translation. Thus, S0885 appeared to be the important target of oxidative stress because it was protected by the stress response system to maintain its function. These results suggest that cyanobacterial EF-G has a primary function in translation and an unrelated activity during stress conditions. These findings support the substantial role of EF-G in the formation and maintenance of cellular protein formation, and in the protection of the global translational mechanism under oxidative stress condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siripat Ngoennet
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand; Graduate School of Environmental and Human Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, Aichi, 468-8502, Japan
| | - Sophon Sirisattha
- Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Pokchut Kusolkumbot
- Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR), Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Takashi Hibino
- Graduate School of Environmental and Human Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, Aichi, 468-8502, Japan; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Meijo University, Nagoya, Aichi, 468-8502, Japan
| | - Hakuto Kageyama
- Graduate School of Environmental and Human Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, Aichi, 468-8502, Japan; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Meijo University, Nagoya, Aichi, 468-8502, Japan.
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14
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Schwarz J, Brameyer S, Hoyer E, Jung K. The Interplay of AphB and CadC to Activate Acid Resistance of Vibrio campbellii. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0045722. [PMID: 36920209 PMCID: PMC10127681 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00457-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved different systems to sense and adapt to acid stress. For example, Vibrio campbellii, a marine pathogen for invertebrates, encounters acidic conditions in the digestive glands of shrimp. The main acid resistance system of V. campbellii is the Cad system, which is activated when cells are in a low-pH, amino acid-rich environment. The Cad system consists of the pH-responsive transcriptional activator CadC, the lysine decarboxylase CadA, and the lysine/cadaverine antiporter CadB. In many Vibrio species, the LysR-type transcriptional regulator AphB is involved in the regulation of the Cad system, but its precise role is unclear. Here, we examined AphB of V. campbellii in vivo and in vitro in the context of Cad activation. At low pH, an aphB deletion mutant was less able to grow and survive compared with the wild-type because it did not excrete sufficient alkaline cadaverine to increase the extracellular pH. AphB was found to upregulate the transcription of cadC, thereby increasing its protein copy number per cell. Moreover, AphB itself was shown to be a pH-sensor, and binding to the cadC promoter increased under low pH, as shown by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. By monitoring the activation of the Cad system over a wide range of pH values, we found that AphB-mediated upregulation of cadC not only adjusts CadC copy numbers depending on acid stress strength, but also affects the response of individual cells and thus the degree of heterogeneous Cad system activation in the V. campbellii population. IMPORTANCE Acid resistance is an important property not only for neutralophilic enteric bacteria such as Escherichia, Yersinia, and Salmonella, but also for Vibrio. To counteract acidic threats, the marine Vibrio campbellii, a pathogen for various invertebrates, activates the acid-resistance Cad system. The transcriptional activator of the Cad system is CadC, an extracellular pH-sensor. The expression of cadC is upregulated by the transcriptional regulator AphB to achieve maximum expression of the components of the Cad system. In vitro studies demonstrate that AphB binds more tightly to the DNA under low pH. The interplay of two pH-responsive transcriptional activators allows tight control of the activity of the Cad system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schwarz
- Faculty of Biology: Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sophie Brameyer
- Faculty of Biology: Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hoyer
- Faculty of Biology: Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Kirsten Jung
- Faculty of Biology: Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
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15
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Bremer E, Calteau A, Danchin A, Harwood C, Helmann JD, Médigue C, Palsson BO, Sekowska A, Vallenet D, Zuniga A, Zuniga C. A model industrial workhorse:
Bacillus subtilis
strain 168 and its genome after a quarter of a century. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1203-1231. [PMID: 37002859 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The vast majority of genomic sequences are automatically annotated using various software programs. The accuracy of these annotations depends heavily on the very few manual annotation efforts that combine verified experimental data with genomic sequences from model organisms. Here, we summarize the updated functional annotation of Bacillus subtilis strain 168, a quarter century after its genome sequence was first made public. Since the last such effort 5 years ago, 1168 genetic functions have been updated, allowing the construction of a new metabolic model of this organism of environmental and industrial interest. The emphasis in this review is on new metabolic insights, the role of metals in metabolism and macromolecule biosynthesis, functions involved in biofilm formation, features controlling cell growth, and finally, protein agents that allow class discrimination, thus allowing maintenance management, and accuracy of all cell processes. New 'genomic objects' and an extensive updated literature review have been included for the sequence, now available at the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC: AccNum AL009126.4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg Germany
| | - Alexandra Calteau
- LABGeM, Génomique Métabolique, CEA, Genoscope, Institut de Biologie François Jacob Université d'Évry, Université Paris‐Saclay, CNRS Évry France
| | - Antoine Danchin
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li KaShing Faculty of Medicine Hong Kong University Pokfulam SAR Hong Kong China
| | - Colin Harwood
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute Newcastle University Baddiley Clark Building Newcastle upon Tyne UK
| | - John D. Helmann
- Department of Microbiology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Claudine Médigue
- LABGeM, Génomique Métabolique, CEA, Genoscope, Institut de Biologie François Jacob Université d'Évry, Université Paris‐Saclay, CNRS Évry France
| | - Bernhard O. Palsson
- Department of Bioengineering University of California San Diego La Jolla USA
| | | | - David Vallenet
- LABGeM, Génomique Métabolique, CEA, Genoscope, Institut de Biologie François Jacob Université d'Évry, Université Paris‐Saclay, CNRS Évry France
| | - Abril Zuniga
- Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego California USA
| | - Cristal Zuniga
- Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics Graduate Program San Diego State University San Diego California USA
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16
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Abstract
The universally conserved protein elongation factor P (EF-P) facilitates translation at amino acids that form peptide bonds with low efficiency, particularly polyproline tracts. Despite its wide conservation, it is not essential in most bacteria and its physiological role remains unclear. Here, we show that EF-P affects the process of sporulation initiation in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We observe that the lack of EF-P delays expression of sporulation-specific genes. Using ribosome profiling, we observe that expression of spo0A, encoding a transcription factor that functions as the master regulator of sporulation, is lower in a Δefp strain than the wild type. Ectopic expression of Spo0A rescues the sporulation initiation phenotype, indicating that reduced spo0A expression explains the sporulation defect in Δefp cells. Since Spo0A is the earliest sporulation transcription factor, these data suggest that sporulation initiation can be delayed when protein synthesis is impaired. IMPORTANCE Elongation factor P (EF-P) is a universally conserved translation factor that prevents ribosome stalling at amino acids that form peptide bonds with low efficiency, particularly polyproline tracts. Phenotypes associated with EF-P deletion are pleiotropic, and the mechanistic basis underlying many of these phenotypes is unclear. Here, we show that the absence of EF-P affects the ability of B. subtilis to initiate sporulation by preventing normal expression of Spo0A, the key transcriptional regulator of this process. These data illustrate a mechanism that accounts for the sporulation delay and further suggest that cells are capable of sensing translation stress before committing to sporulation.
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17
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Yu X, Li S, Feng H, Liao X, Xing XH, Bai Z, Liu X, Zhang C. CRISPRi-microfluidics screening enables genome-scale target identification for high-titer protein production and secretion. Metab Eng 2023; 75:192-204. [PMID: 36572334 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Genome-scale target identification promises to guide microbial cell factory engineering for higher-titer production of biomolecules such as recombinant proteins (r-protein), but challenges remain due to the need not only for comprehensive genotypic perturbation but also in conjunction with high-throughput phenotypic screening strategies. Here, we developed a CRISPRi-microfluidics screening platform to systematically identify crucial gene targets that can be engineered to enhance r-protein secretion in Corynebacterium glutamicum. We created a CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) library containing 46,549 single-guide RNAs, where we aimed to unbiasedly target all genes for repression. Meanwhile, we developed a highly efficient droplet-based microfluidics system integrating the FlAsH-tetracysteine assay that enables screening of millions of strains to identify potential knockdowns conducive to nanobody VHH secretion. Among our highest-ranking candidates are a slew of previously unknown targets involved in transmembrane transport, amino-acid metabolism and redox regulation. Guided by these findings, we eventually constructed a hyperproducer for multiple proteins via combinatorial engineering of redox-response transcription factors. As the near-universal applicability of CRISPRi technology and the FlAsH-based screening platform, this procedure might be expanded to include a varied variety of microbial species and recombinant proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Yu
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; MOE Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Shuang Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Huibao Feng
- MOE Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xihao Liao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xin-Hui Xing
- MOE Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhonghu Bai
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Jiangsu Provincial Research Center for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xiuxia Liu
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Jiangsu Provincial Research Center for Bioactive Product Processing Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
| | - Chong Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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18
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Leiva LE, Elgamal S, Leidel SA, Orellana O, Ibba M, Katz A. Oxidative stress strongly restricts the effect of codon choice on the efficiency of protein synthesis in Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1042675. [DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1042675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionThe response of enterobacteria to oxidative stress is usually considered to be regulated by transcription factors such as OxyR and SoxR. Nevertheless, several reports have shown that under oxidative stress the levels, modification and aminoacylation of tRNAs may be altered suggesting a role of codon bias in regulation of gene expression under this condition.MethodsIn order to characterize the effects of oxidative stress on translation elongation we constructed a library of 61 plasmids, each coding for the green fluorescent protein (GFP) translationally fused to a different set of four identical codons.ResultsUsing these reporters, we observed that GFP production levels vary widely (~15 fold) when Escherichia coli K-12 is cultured in minimal media as a consequence of codon choice variations. When bacteria are cultured under oxidative stress caused by paraquat the levels of GFP produced by most clones is reduced and, in contrast to control conditions, the range of GFP levels is restricted to a ~2 fold range. Restricting elongation of particular sequences does not increase the range of GFP production under oxidative stress, but altering translation initiation rates leads to an increase in this range.DiscussionAltogether, our results suggest that under normal conditions the speed of translation elongation is in the range of the speed of initiation and, consequently, codon choice impacts the speed of protein synthesis. In contrast, under oxidative stress translation initiation becomes much slower than elongation, limiting the speed of translation such that codon choice has at most only subtle effects on the overall output of translation.
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19
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Elongation factor P modulates Acinetobacter baumannii physiology and virulence as a cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate effector. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2209838119. [PMID: 36191190 PMCID: PMC9564936 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209838119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is widely used by bacteria to control biological functions in response to diverse signals or cues. A previous study showed that potential c-di-GMP metabolic enzymes play a role in the regulation of biofilm formation and motility in Acinetobacter baumannii. However, it was unclear whether and how A. baumannii cells use c-di-GMP signaling to modulate biological functions. Here, we report that c-di-GMP is an important intracellular signal in the modulation of biofilm formation, motility, and virulence in A. baumannii. The intracellular level of c-di-GMP is principally controlled by the diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) A1S_1695, A1S_2506, and A1S_3296 and the phosphodiesterase (PDE) A1S_1254. Intriguingly, we revealed that A1S_2419 (an elongation factor P [EF-P]), is a novel c-di-GMP effector in A. baumannii. Response to a c-di-GMP signal boosted A1S_2419 activity to rescue ribosomes from stalling during synthesis of proteins containing consecutive prolines and thus regulate A. baumannii physiology and pathogenesis. Our study presents a unique and widely conserved effector that controls bacterial physiology and virulence by sensing the second messenger c-di-GMP.
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20
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Danchin A, Fenton AA. From Analog to Digital Computing: Is Homo sapiens’ Brain on Its Way to Become a Turing Machine? Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.796413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The abstract basis of modern computation is the formal description of a finite state machine, the Universal Turing Machine, based on manipulation of integers and logic symbols. In this contribution to the discourse on the computer-brain analogy, we discuss the extent to which analog computing, as performed by the mammalian brain, is like and unlike the digital computing of Universal Turing Machines. We begin with ordinary reality being a permanent dialog between continuous and discontinuous worlds. So it is with computing, which can be analog or digital, and is often mixed. The theory behind computers is essentially digital, but efficient simulations of phenomena can be performed by analog devices; indeed, any physical calculation requires implementation in the physical world and is therefore analog to some extent, despite being based on abstract logic and arithmetic. The mammalian brain, comprised of neuronal networks, functions as an analog device and has given rise to artificial neural networks that are implemented as digital algorithms but function as analog models would. Analog constructs compute with the implementation of a variety of feedback and feedforward loops. In contrast, digital algorithms allow the implementation of recursive processes that enable them to generate unparalleled emergent properties. We briefly illustrate how the cortical organization of neurons can integrate signals and make predictions analogically. While we conclude that brains are not digital computers, we speculate on the recent implementation of human writing in the brain as a possible digital path that slowly evolves the brain into a genuine (slow) Turing machine.
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21
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Xu B, Liu L, Song G. Functions and Regulation of Translation Elongation Factors. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:816398. [PMID: 35127825 PMCID: PMC8807479 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.816398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Translation elongation is a key step of protein synthesis, during which the nascent polypeptide chain extends by one amino acid residue during one elongation cycle. More and more data revealed that the elongation is a key regulatory node for translational control in health and disease. During elongation, elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu, eEF1A in eukaryotes) is used to deliver aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) to the A-site of the ribosome, and elongation factor G (EF-G, EF2 in eukaryotes and archaea) is used to facilitate the translocation of the tRNA2-mRNA complex on the ribosome. Other elongation factors, such as EF-Ts/eEF1B, EF-P/eIF5A, EF4, eEF3, SelB/EFsec, TetO/Tet(M), RelA and BipA, have been found to affect the overall rate of elongation. Here, we made a systematic review on the canonical and non-canonical functions and regulation of these elongation factors. In particular, we discussed the close link between translational factors and human diseases, and clarified how post-translational modifications control the activity of translational factors in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjin Xu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Benjin Xu, ; Guangtao Song,
| | - Ling Liu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
| | - Guangtao Song
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Benjin Xu, ; Guangtao Song,
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22
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McDonnell CM, Ghanim M, Mike Southern J, Kelly VP, Connon SJ. De-novo designed β-lysine derivatives can both augment and diminish the proliferation rates of E. coli through the action of Elongation Factor P. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 59:128545. [PMID: 35032607 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
An investigation into the effect of modified β -lysines on the growth rates of eubacterial cells is reported. It is shown that the effects observed are due to the post translational modification of Elongation Factor P (EFP) with these compounds catalysed by PoxA. PoxA was found to be remarkably promiscuous, which allowed the activity of a wide range of exogenous β -lysines to be examined. Two chain-elongated β -lysine derivatives which differ in aminoalkyl chain length by only 2 carbon units exhibited opposing biological activities - one promoting growth and the other retarding it. Both compounds were shown to operate through modification of EFP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara M McDonnell
- School of Chemistry, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Magda Ghanim
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - J Mike Southern
- School of Chemistry, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Vincent P Kelly
- School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Stephen J Connon
- School of Chemistry, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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23
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Danchin A. In vivo, in vitro and in silico: an open space for the development of microbe-based applications of synthetic biology. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:42-64. [PMID: 34570957 PMCID: PMC8719824 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Living systems are studied using three complementary approaches: living cells, cell-free systems and computer-mediated modelling. Progresses in understanding, allowing researchers to create novel chassis and industrial processes rest on a cycle that combines in vivo, in vitro and in silico studies. This design-build-test-learn iteration loop cycle between experiments and analyses combines together physiology, genetics, biochemistry and bioinformatics in a way that keeps going forward. Because computer-aided approaches are not directly constrained by the material nature of the entities of interest, we illustrate here how this virtuous cycle allows researchers to explore chemistry which is foreign to that present in extant life, from whole chassis to novel metabolic cycles. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Danchin
- Kodikos LabsInstitut Cochin24 rue du Faubourg Saint‐JacquesParis75014France
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24
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Zarechenskaia AS, Sergiev PV, Osterman IA. Quality Control Mechanisms in Bacterial Translation. Acta Naturae 2021; 13:32-44. [PMID: 34377554 PMCID: PMC8327144 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.11401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribosome stalling during translation significantly reduces cell viability, because cells have to spend resources on the synthesis of new ribosomes. Therefore, all bacteria have developed various mechanisms of ribosome rescue. Usually, the release of ribosomes is preceded by hydrolysis of the tRNA-peptide bond, but, in some cases, the ribosome can continue translation thanks to the activity of certain factors. This review describes the mechanisms of ribosome rescue thanks to trans-translation and the activity of the ArfA, ArfB, BrfA, ArfT, HflX, and RqcP/H factors, as well as continuation of translation via the action of EF-P, EF-4, and EttA. Despite the ability of some systems to duplicate each other, most of them have their unique functional role, related to the quality control of bacterial translation in certain abnormalities caused by mutations, stress cultivation conditions, or antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. S. Zarechenskaia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics and Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow, 119992 Russia
| | - P. V. Sergiev
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, 143028 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Institute of functional genomics, Moscow, 119992 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Chemistry, Moscow, 119992 Russia
| | - I. A. Osterman
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, 143028 Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Chemistry, Moscow, 119992 Russia
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Genetics and Life Sciences Research Center, Sochi, 354340 Russia
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25
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Morphological plasticity of hyperelongated cells caused by overexpression of translation elongation factor P in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:8801-8812. [PMID: 32915258 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10874-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Translation elongation factors (EFs) are proteins that play important roles during the elongation stage of protein synthesis. In prokaryotes, at least four EFs function in repetitive reactions (EF-Tu, EF-Ts, EF-G, and EF-P). EF-P plays a vital role in the specialized translation of consecutive proline amino acid motifs. It was also recently recognized that EF-P acts throughout translation elongation. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that cell division and morphology are intimately linked to the control of EF-P in the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942. We constructed the overexpression of a wild-type gene product for EF-P (Synpcc7942_2565) as a tool to identify EF-P functionality. The overexpression of EF-P resulted in the morphological plasticity of hyperelongated cells. During the stationary phase, EF-P overexpressors displayed cell lengths of 150 μm or longer, approximately 35 times longer than the control. Total cellular protein and amino acid content were also increased in overexpressors. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying hyperelongation, gene expression analysis was performed. The results revealed that cell division genes, including ftn6, minD, mreB, mreC, and ftsZ, were modulated in overexpressors. Strikingly, ftn6 was severely down-regulated. Little is known regarding EF-P in prokaryotic photosynthetic organisms. Our results suggest that cyanobacterial EF-P participates in the acceleration of protein synthesis and also regulates cell division processes. These findings suggest new ways to modify translation and metabolism in cyanobacteria. Phenotypic and metabolic alterations caused by overexpressing EF-P may also be beneficial for applications such as low-cost, green molecular factories. KEY POINTS: • Cell division and cell morphology in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 are closely linked with the control of translation elongation factor P (EF-P). • Overexpression of EF-P leads to morphological plasticity in hyperelongated cells. • Cyanobacterial EF-P is involved in the acceleration of protein synthesis and the regulation of cell division processes.
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