Anticodon bases C34 and C35 are major, positive, identity elements in Saccharomyces cerevisiae tRNA(Trp)

The tRNA identity landscape for aminoacylation and beyond

tRNAs are key partners in ribosome-dependent protein synthesis. This process is highly dependent on the fidelity of tRNA aminoacylation by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and relies primarily on sets of identities within tRNA molecules composed of determinants and antideterminants preventing mischarging by non-cognate synthetases. Such identity sets were discovered in the tRNAs of a few model organisms, and their properties were generalized as universal identity rules. Since then, the panel of identity elements governing the accuracy of tRNA aminoacylation has expanded considerably, but the increasing number of reported functional idiosyncrasies has led to some confusion. In parallel, the description of other processes involving tRNAs, often well beyond aminoacylation, has progressed considerably, greatly expanding their interactome and uncovering multiple novel identities on the same tRNA molecule. This review highlights key findings on the mechanistics and evolution of tRNA and tRNA-like identities. In addition, new methods and their results for searching sets of multiple identities on a single tRNA are discussed. Taken together, this knowledge shows that a comprehensive understanding of the functional role of individual and collective nucleotide identity sets in tRNA molecules is needed for medical, biotechnological and other applications.

The Enzymatic Paradox of Yeast Arginyl-tRNA Synthetase: Exclusive Arginine Transfer Controlled by a Flexible Mechanism of tRNA Recognition

Identity determinants are essential for the accurate recognition of transfer RNAs by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. To date, arginine determinants in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been identified exclusively in vitro and only on a limited number of tRNA Arginine isoacceptors. In the current study, we favor a full cellular approach and expand the investigation of arginine determinants to all four tRNA Arg isoacceptors. More precisely, this work scrutinizes the relevance of the tRNA nucleotides at position 20, 35 and 36 in the yeast arginylation reaction. We built 21 mutants by site-directed mutagenesis and tested their functionality in YAL5, a previously engineered yeast knockout deficient for the expression of tRNA Arg CCG. Arginylation levels were also monitored using Northern blot. Our data collected in vivo correlate with previous observations. C35 is the prominent arginine determinant followed by G36 or U36 (G/U36). In addition, although there is no major arginine determinant in the D loop, the recognition of tRNA Arg ICG relies to some extent on the nucleotide at position 20. This work refines the existing model for tRNA Arg recognition. Our observations indicate that yeast Arginyl-tRNA synthetase (yArgRS) relies on distinct mechanisms to aminoacylate the four isoacceptors. Finally, according to our refined model, yArgRS is able to accommodate tRNA Arg scaffolds presenting N34, C/G35 and G/A/U36 anticodons while maintaining specificity. We discuss the mechanistic and potential physiological implications of these findings.

Rational design of an orthogonal tryptophanyl nonsense suppressor tRNA

While a number of aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (aaRS):tRNA pairs have been engineered to alter or expand the genetic code, only the Methanococcus jannaschii tyrosyl tRNA synthetase and tRNA have been used extensively in bacteria, limiting the types and numbers of unnatural amino acids that can be utilized at any one time to expand the genetic code. In order to expand the number and type of aaRS/tRNA pairs available for engineering bacterial genetic codes, we have developed an orthogonal tryptophanyl tRNA synthetase and tRNA pair, derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the process of developing an amber suppressor tRNA, we discovered that the Escherichia coli lysyl tRNA synthetase was responsible for misacylating the initial amber suppressor version of the yeast tryptophanyl tRNA. It was discovered that modification of the G:C content of the anticodon stem and therefore reducing the structural flexibility of this stem eliminated misacylation by the E. coli lysyl tRNA synthetase, and led to the development of a functional, orthogonal suppressor pair that should prove useful for the incorporation of bulky, unnatural amino acids into the genetic code. Our results provide insight into the role of tRNA flexibility in molecular recognition and the engineering and evolution of tRNA specificity.

Molecular recognition of tryptophan tRNA by tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase from Aeropyrum pernix K1

The identity elements of transfer RNA are the molecular basis for recognition by each cognate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase. In the archaea system, the tryptophan tRNA identity has not been determined in detail. To investigate the molecular recognition mechanism of tryptophan tRNA by tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) from the hyperthermophilic and aerobic archaeon, Aeropyrum pernix K1, various mutant transcripts of tryptophan tRNA prepared by an in vitro transcription system were examined by overexpression of A. pernix TrpRS. Substitution of the discriminator base, A73, impaired tryptophan incorporation activity. Changing the G1-C72 base pair to other base pairs also decreased the aminoacylation activity. Substitutions of anticodon CCA revealed that the C34 and C35 mutants dramatically reduced aminoacylation with tryptophan, but the A36 mutants had the same activity as the wild type. The results indicate that the anticodon nucleotides C34, C35, discriminator base A73 and G1-C72 base pair are major recognition sites for A. pernix TrpRS.

Box C/D RNA-guided 2'-O methylations and the intron of tRNATrp are not essential for the viability of Haloferax volcanii

Deleting the box C/D RNA-containing intron in the Haloferax volcanii tRNATrp gene abolishes RNA-guided 2'-O methylations of C34 and U39 residues of tRNATrp. However, this deletion does not affect growth under standard conditions.

Structure of human tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase in complex with tRNATrp reveals the molecular basis of tRNA recognition and specificity

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are a family of enzymes responsible for the covalent link of amino acids to their cognate tRNAs. The selectivity and species-specificity in the recognitions of both amino acid and tRNA by aaRSs play a vital role in maintaining the fidelity of protein synthesis. We report here the first crystal structure of human tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (hTrpRS) in complex with tRNA^Trp and Trp which, together with biochemical data, reveals the molecular basis of a novel tRNA binding and recognition mechanism. hTrpRS recognizes the tRNA acceptor arm from the major groove; however, the 3′ end CCA of the tRNA makes a sharp turn to bind at the active site with a deformed conformation. The discriminator base A73 is specifically recognized by an α-helix of the unique N-terminal domain and the anticodon loop by an α-helix insertion of the C-terminal domain. The N-terminal domain appears to be involved in Trp activation, but not essential for tRNA binding and acylation. Structural and sequence comparisons suggest that this novel tRNA binding and recognition mechanism is very likely shared by other archaeal and eukaryotic TrpRSs, but not by bacterial TrpRSs. Our findings provide insights into the molecular basis of tRNA specificity and species-specificity.

Nucleotides U28-A42 and A37 in unmodified yeast tRNA(Trp) as negative identity elements for bovine tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase

Wild-type bovine and yeast tRNA(Trp) are efficiently aminoacylated by tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase both from beef and from yeast. Upon loss of modified bases in the synthetic transcripts, mammalian tRNA(Trp) retains the double recognition by the two synthetases, while yeast tRNA(Trp) loses its substrate properties for the bovine enzyme and is recognised only by the cognate synthetase. By testing chimeric bovine-yeast transcripts with tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase purified from beef pancreas, the nucleotides responsible for the loss of charging of the synthetic yeast transcript have been localised in the anticodon arm. A complete loss of charging akin to that observed with the yeast transcript requires substitution in the bovine backbone of G37 in the anticodon loop with yeast A37 and of C28-G42 in the anticodon stem with yeast U28-A42. Since A37 does not prevent aminoacylation of the wild-type yeast tRNA(Trp) by the beef enzyme, a negative combination apparently emerges in the synthetic transcript after unmasking of U28 by loss of pseudourydilation.

2.9 A crystal structure of ligand-free tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase: domain movements fragment the adenine nucleotide binding site

The crystal structure of ligand-free tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) was solved at 2.9 A using a combination of molecular replacement and maximum-entropy map/phase improvement. The dimeric structure (R = 23.7, Rfree = 26.2) is asymmetric, unlike that of the TrpRS tryptophanyl-5'AMP complex (TAM; Doublié S, Bricogne G, Gilmore CJ, Carter CW Jr, 1995, Structure 3:17-31). In agreement with small-angle solution X-ray scattering experiments, unliganded TrpRS has a conformation in which both monomers open, leaving only the tryptophan-binding regions of their active sites intact. The amino terminal alphaA-helix, TIGN, and KMSKS signature sequences, and the distal helical domain rotate as a single rigid body away from the dinucleotide-binding fold domain, opening the AMP binding site, seen in the TAM complex, into two halves. Comparison of side-chain packing in ligand-free TrpRS and the TAM complex, using identification of nonpolar nuclei (Ilyin VA, 1994, Protein Eng 7:1189-1195), shows that significant repacking occurs between three relatively stable core regions, one of which acts as a bearing between the other two. These domain rearrangements provide a new structural paradigm that is consistent in detail with the "induced-fit" mechanism proposed for TyrRS by Fersht et al. (Fersht AR, Knill-Jones JW, Beduelle H, Winter G, 1988, Biochemistry 27:1581-1587). Coupling of ATP binding determinants associated with the two catalytic signature sequences to the helical domain containing the presumptive anticodon-binding site provides a mechanism to coordinate active-site chemistry with relocation of the major tRNA binding determinants.

Identity elements in bovine tRNA(Trp) required for the specific stimulation of gelonin, a plant ribosome-inactivating protein

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are RNA-N-glycosidases widely present in plants that depurinate RNA in ribosomes at a specific universally conserved position, A4324, in the rat 28S rRNA. A small group of RIPs (cofactor-dependent RIPs) require ATP and tRNA to reach maximal activity on isolated ribosomes. Among cofactor-dependent RIPs, gelonin is specifically and uniquely stimulated by tRNA(Trp). The active species are avian (chicken) and mammalian (beef, rat, and rabbit) tRNA(Trp), whereas yeast tRNA(Trp) is completely devoid of stimulating activity. In the present article, bovine and yeast tRNA(Trp) with unmodified bases were prepared by assembly of the corresponding genes from synthetic oligonucleotides followed by PCR and T7 RNA polymerase transcription of the amplified products. The two synthetic tRNAs were fully active (bovine) or inactive (yeast) as the wild-type tRNAs. Construction of chimeric tRNA(Trp) transcripts identified the following bovine nucleotides as recognition elements for gelonin-stimulating activity: G26 and bp G12-C23 in the D arm and G57, A59, and bp G51-C63 and U52-A62 in the T arm. Among single-stranded nucleotides, A59 has a prominent role, but full expression of the gelonin-stimulating activity requires an extensive cooperation between nucleotides in both arms.

Universal rules and idiosyncratic features in tRNA identity

Correct expression of the genetic code at translation is directly correlated with tRNA identity. This survey describes the molecular signals in tRNAs that trigger specific aminoacylations. For most tRNAs, determinants are located at the two distal extremities: the anticodon loop and the amino acid accepting stem. In a few tRNAs, however, major identity signals are found in the core of the molecule. Identity elements have different strengths, often depend more on k cat effects than on K m effects and exhibit additive, cooperative or anti-cooperative interplay. Most determinants are in direct contact with cognate synthetases, and chemical groups on bases or ribose moieties that make functional interactions have been identified in several systems. Major determinants are conserved in evolution; however, the mechanisms by which they are expressed are species dependent. Recent studies show that alternate identity sets can be recognized by a single synthetase, and emphasize the importance of tRNA architecture and anti-determinants preventing false recognition. Identity rules apply to tRNA-like molecules and to minimalist tRNAs. Knowledge of these rules allows the manipulation of identity elements and engineering of tRNAs with switched, altered or multiple specificities.

Identity elements and aminoacylation of plant tRNATrp

Mutation of the Arabidopsis thaliana tRNA (Trp)(CCA) anticodon or of the A73 discriminator base greatly diminishes in vitro aminoacylation with tryptophan, indicating the importance of these nucleotides for recognition by the plant tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase. Mutation of the tRNA (Trp)(CCA) anticodon to CUA so as to translate amber nonsense codons permits tRNA (Trp)(CCA) to be aminoacylated by A.thaliana lysyl-tRNA synthetase. Thus, translational suppression by tRNA (TRP)(CCA) observed in plant cells includes significant incorporation of lysine into protein.

Aminoacylation of tRNA gene transcripts is strongly affected by 3'-extended and dimeric substrate RNAs

Kinetic parameters of aminoacylation by E. coli phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase vary for phage T5 tRNA(Phe) gene transcript from 0.950 to 2.545 microM for Km and from 550 to 400 min(-1) for kcat. To reveal the source of this variability for various RNA preparations, homogeneity of the transcripts has been examined. Presence of 3' extensions and dimer formation in transcript preparations reduced the catalytic efficiency kcat/Km several-fold. We have shown that the proportion of dimers and 3'-extended transcripts in tRNA preparations is sensitive to single-base substitutions in tRNA. While wild-type phage T5 tRNA(Phe) gene transcript contains about half of dimeric molecules, for some mutants this value increases up to 90% or drops to 0%. Phage T5 tRNA(Phe) gene with anticodon stem nucleotide substitutions used as a template in run-off transcription produces 5 times less 3'-extended molecules than the wild-type gene. In view of all these results kinetic parameters of aminoacylation reaction for many wild-type and mutant tRNA gene transcripts should be reevaluated.

Regulated expression of plant tRNA genes by the prokaryotic tet and lac repressors

The prokaryotic tet operator (tetO) sequence was inserted at positions upstream and downstream of sequences encoding the Arabidopsis thaliana tRNA(Lys)AUC or tRNA(Trp)AUC suppressor tRNAs, and tRNA expression in carrot protoplasts was measured by translational suppression of a nonsense codon in a luciferase reporter gene. Regulation of tRNA expression by the tetracycline repressor (tetR) occurred from genes with the tetO inserted at position -1 (for the tRNA(Trp)AUC gene), or at positions -2, -6 and -10 (for the tRNA(Lys)AUC gene), and repression reached 90%. The inducer tetracycline (Tc) restored tRNA expression. Similarly, carrot protoplasts transfected with human tRNA(Ser)AUC genes containing the lac operator (lacO) in their 5'-flanking sequence with or without the lac repressor (lacI) gene, conditionally expressed tRNAs which suppressed the luciferase reporter. Up to 30-fold repression occurred by the lactose repressor when lacO was located at position -1 of the tRNA(Ser)AUC coding sequence. In the presence of the inducer isopropyl-beta-thiogalactoside (IPTG), repression was relieved. These results demonstrate that sequences flanking tRNA genes can strongly influence tRNA expression in plants, and in a conditional fashion when bound by inducible proteins.

Identification and expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytoplasmic tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase gene

The enzymes that aminoacylate tRNAs have been studied extensively and can be organized into two distinct classes based on signature sequences and the position of aminoacylation. The class I enzymes have canonical HIGH and KMSKS sequences as part of a Rossman fold nucleotide-binding site. The tryptophan-specific enzymes have been placed in class I based on analysis of the cognate genes from Escherichia coli, B. stearothermophilus, B. taurus, and Homo sapiens. An unidentified open reading frame (ORF) on Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome XV, HRE342, has 46% identity with the bovine tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase and possesses the appropriate signature sequences. The predicted molecular weight of the putative HRE342 protein also closely matched the expected monomer size of the S. cerevisiae enzyme. The HRE342 ORF plus about 250 bp of 5' and 3' flanking sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, cloned into a 2 mu based vector, and transformed into a host strain, S. cerevisiae JG369.3B. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the clone confirmed the presence of HRE342. Extracts from transformed yeast have a 30- to 100-fold increase in specific activity of the tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase. An HRE342 locus in a diploid strain, PTY33XPTY44, was disrupted with a LEU2 insert. Sporulation and tetrad analysis of the HRE342::LEU2 strain demonstrated that HRE342 is an essential gene. We conclude that HRE342 is the S. cerevisiae gene encoding the cytoplasmic tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase, WRS1. A search of the Saccharomyces Genome Database using amino acid sequences from other eukaryotic aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase suggests there is sufficient similarity to identify both class I and class II genes.