Nuclear origin of specific yeast mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

Horizontal Gene Transfer in Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases Including Leucine-Specific Subtypes

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze a fundamental reaction for the flow of genetic information from RNA to protein. Their presence in all organisms known today highlights their important role in the early evolution of life. We investigated the evolutionary history of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases on the basis of sequence data from more than 200 Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota. Phylogenetic profiles are in agreement with previous observations that many genes for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases were transferred horizontally between species from all domains of life. We extended these findings by a detailed analysis of the history of leucyl-tRNA synthetases. Thereby, we identified a previously undetected case of horizontal gene transfer from Bacteria to Archaea based on phylogenetic profiles, trees, and networks. This means that, finally, the last subfamily of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases has lost its exceptional position as the sole subfamily that is devoid of horizontal gene transfer. Furthermore, the leucyl-tRNA synthetase phylogenetic tree suggests a dichotomy of the archaeal/eukaryotic-cytosolic and bacterial/eukaryotic-mitochondrial proteins. We argue that the traditional division of life into Prokaryota (non-chimeric) and Eukaryota (chimeric) is favorable compared to Woese's trichotomy into Archaea/Bacteria/Eukaryota.

Mitochondrially-imported cytoplasmic tRNA(Lys)(CUU) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: in vivo and in vitro targetting systems

The cytoplasmic tRNA(Lys)(CUU) (tRNA(1Lys)) is the single yeast tRNA species to be traffiked from the cytoplasm into the mitochondrial compartment of the cell. To study mechanisms of this targetting we worked out two test systems. The in vivo system based on the electroporation of intact yeast cells was used to introduce labelled tRNAs into the cytoplasm. All tRNA species tested were effectively introduced into the cytoplasm, but only the cytoplasmic tRNA(1Lys) was found in the mitochondrial compartment within 1-2 hours after the electroporation procedure. The in vitro system permits specific transfer of the tRNA(1Lys) into isolated mitochondria. Contrary to the known systems for protein transport into isolated mitochondria, mitochondrial import of tRNA(1Lys) in vitro requires the presence of soluble cellular proteins in the reaction mixture. The translocation proved to be ATP-dependent and to require the presence of an ATP-generation system in the reaction. Preincubation of the tRNA with the total cellular extract of the cell markedly increases the rate of the translocation. Two protein fractions are necessary to direct the import in vitro. The first one has high heparin-binding affinity, while the other protein fraction is not retained by heparin-Sepharose.

Evolution of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase quaternary structure and activity: Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases [L-phenylalanine:tRNAPhe ligase (AMP-forming), EC 6.1.1.20] from Escherichia coli, yeast cytoplasm, and mammalian cytoplasm have an unusual conserved alpha 2 beta 2 quaternary structure that is shared by only one other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase. Both subunits are required for activity. We show here that a single mitochondrial polypeptide from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an active phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. This protein (the MSF1 gene product) is active as a monomer. It has all three characteristic sequence motifs of the class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and its activity may result from the recruitment of additional sequences into an alpha-subunit-like structure.

Purification of the yeast mitochondrial methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Common and distinctive features of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial isoenzymes

Yeast-mitochondrial methionyl-tRNA synthetase was purified 1060-fold from mitochondrial matrix proteins of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a four-step procedure based on affinity chromatography (heparin-Ultrogel, tRNA(Met)-Sepharose, Agarose-hexyl-AMP) to yield to a single polypeptide of high specific activity (1800 U/mg). Like the cytoplasmic methionyl-tRNA synthetase (Mr 85,000), the mitochondrial isoenzyme is a monomer, but of significantly smaller polypeptide size (Mr 65,000). In contrast, the corresponding enzyme of Escherichia coli is a dimer (Mr 152,000) made up of identical subunits. The measured affinity constants of the purified mitochondrial enzyme for methionine and tRNA(Met) are similar to those of the cytoplasmic isoenzyme. However, the two yeast enzymes exhibit clearly different patterns of aminoacylation of heterologous yeast and E. coli tRNA(Met). Furthermore, polyclonal antibodies raised against the two proteins did not show any cross-reactivity by inhibition of enzymatic activity and by the highly sensitive immunoblotting technique, indicating that the two enzymes share little, if any, common antigenic determinants. Taken together, our results further support the belief that the yeast mitochondrial and cytoplasmic methionyl-tRNA synthetases are different proteins coded for by two distinct nuclear genes. Like the yeast cytoplasmic aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, the mitochondrial enzymes displayed affinity for immobilized heparin. This distinguishes them from the corresponding enzymes of E. coli. Such an unexpected property of the mitochondrial enzymes suggests that they have acquired during evolution a domain for binding to negatively charged cellular components.

Stable preparation of yeast mitochondria and mitoplasts synthesizing specific polypeptides

Yeast mitochondria isolated in the presence of 0.6 M sorbitol and 0.5% bovine serum albumin can be stored in liquid nitrogen without loss of translational activity. Frozen mitochondria retain the respiratory control and the mutant pattern of polypeptide synthesis identical to those detected for fresh preparations. Stored mitochondria may be efficiently transformed into a stable preparation of mitoplasts actively synthesizing mitochondrial polypeptides.

Characterization by tandem mass spectrometry of structural modifications in proteins

Tandem mass spectrometry can be used to solve a number of protein structural problems that are not amenable to conventional methods for amino acid sequencing. Typical problems that use this approach involve characterization of peptides with blocked amino termini or peptides that have been otherwise posttranslationally processed, such as, by phosphorylation or sulfation. The structure and homogeneity of synthetic peptides can also be evaluated. Since peptides can be selectively characterized in the presence of other peptides or contaminants, the need for extensive purification is reduced or eliminated.

Isolation and characterization of MOD5, a gene required for isopentenylation of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNAs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The mod5-1 mutation is a nuclear mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that reduces the biosynthesis of N6-(delta 2-isopentenyl)adenosine in both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNAs to less than 1.5% of wild-type levels. The tRNA modification enzyme, delta 2-isopentenyl pyrophosphate:tRNA isopentenyl transferase, cannot be detected in vitro with extracts from mod5-1 cells. A characterization of the MOD5 gene would help to determine how the same enzyme activity in different cellular compartments can be abolished by a single nuclear mutation. To that end we have cloned the MOD5 gene and shown that it restores delta 2-isopentenyl pyrophosphate:tRNA isopentenyl transferase activity and N6-(delta 2-isopentenyl)adenosine to tRNA in both the mitochondria and the nucleus/cytoplasm compartments of mod5-1 yeast cells. That MOD5 sequences are expressed in Escherichia coli and can complement an N6-(delta 2-isopentenyl)-2-methylthioadenosine-deficient E. coli mutant leads us to conclude that MOD5 is the structural gene for delta 2-isopentenyl pyrophosphate:tRNA isopentenyl transferase.

Isolation and characterization of MOD5, a gene required for isopentenylation of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNAs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The mod5-1 mutation is a nuclear mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that reduces the biosynthesis of N6-(delta 2-isopentenyl)adenosine in both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNAs to less than 1.5% of wild-type levels. The tRNA modification enzyme, delta 2-isopentenyl pyrophosphate:tRNA isopentenyl transferase, cannot be detected in vitro with extracts from mod5-1 cells. A characterization of the MOD5 gene would help to determine how the same enzyme activity in different cellular compartments can be abolished by a single nuclear mutation. To that end we have cloned the MOD5 gene and shown that it restores delta 2-isopentenyl pyrophosphate:tRNA isopentenyl transferase activity and N6-(delta 2-isopentenyl)adenosine to tRNA in both the mitochondria and the nucleus/cytoplasm compartments of mod5-1 yeast cells. That MOD5 sequences are expressed in Escherichia coli and can complement an N6-(delta 2-isopentenyl)-2-methylthioadenosine-deficient E. coli mutant leads us to conclude that MOD5 is the structural gene for delta 2-isopentenyl pyrophosphate:tRNA isopentenyl transferase.

Purification of cytoplasmic precursors of yeast mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase subunits

Two polypeptidic precursors of yeast mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase subunits were purified from the cytoplasm by immunoprecipitation with an insolubilized glutaraldehyde-treated IgG fraction, followed by two chromatographies on Sephadex G-200 and on DEAE-cellulose. Methionine was found as the N-terminal residue in both precursors, which exhibited N-terminal extensions.

Codon reading patterns in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria based on sequences of mitochondrial tRNAs

The sequences of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial tRNA Arg1, tRNA Arg2, tRNA Gly, tRNA Lys2, tRNA Leu amd tRNA Pro are reported. Special structural features were found in tRNA Pro, which has A8, C21, A48 instead of the constant residues U8, A21 and pyrimidine 48, and in tRNA Lys2, which has a U excluded from base-paring and bulging out from the TpsiC stem. The tRNA Arg1, tRBA Lys2 and tRNA Leu, which belong to two-codon families ending in a purine, have a modified uridine in the wobble position, which prevents misreading of C and U. It is likely to be 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluridine. tRNA Gly and tRNA Pro have an unmodified uridine in the wobble position allowing the reading of all four codons of a four-codon family. However, tRNA Arg2, which is a minor species and belongs to the CGN four-codon family, has an unmodified A in the wobble position. This unusual feature raises the problem of the mechanism by which the codons CGA, CGG and CGC are recognized.

Effects of econazole nitrate on yeast cells and mitochondria

The inhibitory effect of econazole nitrate on the growth of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is proportional to the concentration of the product. It depends on the phase of culture and on the number of cells present at the moment of econazole addition into the medium. The most important inhibition is obtained in the exponential phase of growth with a low concentration of cells. It is enhanced with cells which were previously in contact with the product. There is no adaptation of the yeast toward increased concentrations of econazole. The product penetrates the cells and attaches first to particular fractions, later to soluble fractions. The highest concentration of econazole nitrate in cells lies in the mitochondria. No product of econazole metabolism by S. cerevisiae was uncovered. Econazole nitrate does not slow down the in vivo activities of mitochondrial enzymes (cytochrome c oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase), but inhibits the biosynthesis of mitochondrial membrane enzymes without affecting that of the synthetase, a matrix enzyme.

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases from yeast cytoplasm and mitochondria. The presence of a carbohydrate moiety in the mitochondrial enzyme and immunological evidence for structural relationship

Homogeneous yeast cytoplasmic and mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases (L-phenylalanine:tRNAPhe ligase (AMP-forming), EC 6.1.1.20) are analysed for structural differences. Only the large subunit of the mitochondrial enzyme is a glycoprotein with nearly 3% carbohydrate by weight. The carbohydrates present are: glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, galactose and N-acetylneuraminic acid. Removal of the sugar moieties yields an activity increase, but no significant change of sensitivity to proteolytic degradation. Antibodies to both homogeneous enzymes demonstrate a structural similarity for both types of subunit using the highly sensitive immunoblotting technique.

The primary structure of yeast mitochondrial tyrosine tRNA

The mitochondrial tyrosine tRNA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been sequenced. It has two interesting structural features: (i) it lacks two semi-invariant purine residues in the D-loop which are involved in tertiary interactions in the yeast cytoplasmic tRNAPhe; (ii) it has a large variable loop and therefore resembles procaryotic tRNAsTyr rather than eucaryotic cytoplasmic ones.

A yeast mitochondrial inner membrane 30K hydrophobic protein: comparison with subunit 32K of the cytochrome BC 1 complex

A yeast mitochondrial inner membrane hydrophobic protein 30K has been isolated and compared to subunit 32K of the yeast cytochrome bc 1 complex. Both proteins are translated on mitochondrial ribosomes, have nearly the same molecular weight and similar aminoacid compositions. Comparison was carried out by immunological techniques with specific antibodies, and by studying 3 yeast strains having mutations in the COB region of the mitochondrial DNA. Results show that the two proteins are not identical.

The primary structures of three yeast mitochondrial serine tRNA isoacceptors

Yeast mitochondria contain several isoaccepting species of serine-tRNA. The relative amount of these isoacceptors varies according to the conditions used to grow the yeast cells. In order to gain insight into the structural differences among these isoacceptors, the three mitochondrial tRNAsSer, which are present in derepressed yeast cells, have been sequenced. The primary structure of tRNASer1 differs considerably from that of tRNASer2; these two isoacceptors have only 39 nucleotides in common. In contrast, tRNASer3 differs from tRNASer2 by only one post-transcriptional modification: the psi residue in position 28 of tRNASer2 is replaced by a normal U in tRNASer3. Unlike tRNASer2 and tRNASer3, the primary sequence of tRNASer1 shows two unusual structural features: it has a D in position 14 instead of the "universal" A14 of the standard tRNA cloverleaf and it contains two G residues between the D-stem and the anticodon-stem. Considering their respective anticodons, tRNASer1 should recognize the two serine codons A-G-C and A-G-U, whereas both tRNASer2 and tRNASer3 should recognize all four serine codons of the U-C-N series.

Biosynthesis and transport of yeast mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase

The biosynthesis of yeast mitochondrial Phe-tRNA synthetase is studied in vivo. Antibodies against the enzyme are raised in rabbits. They precipitate two proteins in the post-ribosomal supernatant of the yeast cell homogenate. Immunoprecipitate analysis on SDS - gel electrophoresis shows that the two types of mitochondrial enzyme subunits with molecular weights of 57,000 and 72,000, respectively, are cytoplasmically synthesized as larger, individual precursors. Terminal extensions of the precursors prevent enzyme activity. Mitochondrial membranes linked protease(s) play(s) an active role in maturation.

[Isolation of yeast protoplasts using various preparations of the hepato-pancreatic juice of Helix pomatia]

Conversion of large amounts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to protoplasts is studied using various preparations extracted from Helix pomatia hepato-pancreatic juice. The most favourable yield in two hours incubations (88 per cent) is obtained with 20 ml cytohelicase, a chitinase and glucanase enriched extract, per 400 g of yeast cells, harvested at the end of the logarithmic growth phase and preincubated in presence of 2-mercaptoethanol.

Yeast mitochondrial methionine initiator tRNA: characterization and nucleotide sequence

Two methionine tRNAs from yeast mitochondria have been purified. The mitochondrial initiator tRNA has been identified by formylation using a mitochondrial enzyme extract. E. coli transformylase however, does not formylate the yeast mitochondrial initiator tRNA. The sequence was determined using both 32P-in vivo labeled and 32P-end labeled mt tRNAf(Met). This tRNA, unlike N. crassa mitochondrial tRNAf(Met), has two structural features typical of procaryotic initiator tRNAs: (i) it lacks a Watson-Crick base-pair at the end of the acceptor stem and (ii) has a T-psi-C-A sequence in loop IV. However, both yeast and N. crassa mitochondrial initiator tRNAs have a U11:A24 base-pair in the D-stem unlike procaryotic initiator tRNAs which have A11:U24. Interestingly, both mitochondrial initiator tRNAs, as well as bean chloroplast tRNAf(Met), have only two G:C pairs next to the anticodon loop, unlike any other initiator tRNA whatever its origin. In terms of overall sequence homology, yeast mitochondrial tRNA(Met)f differs from both procaryotic or eucaryotic initiator tRNAs, showing the highest homology with N. crassa mitochondrial initiator tRNA.

Primary structure of yeast mitochondrial DNA-coded phenylalanine-tRNA

Mitochondrial tRNAPhe from Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was sequenced by fingerprinting uniformly labeled 32 P-tRNA as well as by 5'-end postlabeling techniques. Its sequence was found to be: pG-C-U-U-U-U-A-U-A-G-C-U-U-A-G-D-G-G-D-A-A-A-G-C-m22G-A-U-A-A-A-phi-U-G-A-A-m1G-A-phi-U-U-A-U-U-U-A-C-A-U-G-U-A-G-U-phi-C-G-A-U-U-C-U-C-A-U-U-A-A-G-G-G-C-A-C-C-A. The secondary structure we propose, in order to maximize base pairing in the phiC stem and to allow tertiary interaction between G15 and C46, excludes U50 from base pairing giving a bulge in the phiC stem. No conclusion can be drawn concerning the endosymbiotic theory of mitochondria evolution by comparing the primary structure of mt. tRNAPhe with other sequenced tRNAsPhe. This mt.tRNAPhe lacks some of the structural elements reported to be involved in the yeast cytoplasmic phenylalanyl-tRNA ligase recognition site and cannot be aminoacylated by purified yeast cytoplasmic phenylalanyl-tRNA ligase.

Study of yeast mitochondrial tRNAs by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: characterization of isoaccepting species and search for imported cytoplasmic tRNAs

By two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, yeast mitochondrial tRNA is fractionated into 27 major species. All but 6 of them migrate distinctly from cytoplasmic tRNAs. Migration of mitochondrial DNA-coded mitochondrial tRNAs shows the occurence of only one cytoplasmic tRNA in mitochondria. Several mitochondrial tRNA spots are identified on the electrophoregrams, some of them show isoaccepting species (Val, Ser, Met, Leu). It is suggested that there are sufficient mitochondrial tRNA genes on yeast mitochondrial DNA to allow mitochondrial protein biosynthesis by the mitochondrial tRNAs alone. Guanosine + Cytidine content and rate base composition are reported for some individual species. Mitochondrial tRNAPhe lacks Ribothymidine.