The bacterial ribonuclease P holoenzyme requires specific, conserved residues for efficient catalysis and substrate positioning

The discovery of a catalytic RNA within RNase P and its legacy

Sidney Altman's discovery of the processing of one RNA by another RNA that acts like an enzyme was revolutionary in biology and the basis for his sharing the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Thomas Cech. These breakthrough findings support the key role of RNA in molecular evolution, where replicating RNAs (and similar chemical derivatives) either with or without peptides functioned in protocells during the early stages of life on Earth, an era referred to as the RNA world. Here, we cover the historical background highlighting the work of Altman and his colleagues and the subsequent efforts of other researchers to understand the biological function of RNase P and its catalytic RNA subunit and to employ it as a tool to downregulate gene expression. We primarily discuss bacterial RNase P-related studies but acknowledge that many groups have significantly contributed to our understanding of archaeal and eukaryotic RNase P, as reviewed in this special issue and elsewhere.

TERRA-LSD1 phase separation promotes R-loop formation for telomere maintenance in ALT cancer cells

The telomere repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) forms R-loops to promote homology-directed DNA synthesis in the alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) pathway. Here we report that TERRA contributes to ALT via interacting with the lysine-specific demethylase 1A (LSD1 or KDM1A). We show that LSD1 localizes to ALT telomeres in a TERRA dependent manner and LSD1 function in ALT is largely independent of its demethylase activity. Instead, LSD1 promotes TERRA recruitment to ALT telomeres via RNA binding. In addition, LSD1 and TERRA undergo phase separation, driven by interactions between the RNA binding properties of LSD1 and the G-quadruplex structure of TERRA. Importantly, the formation of TERRA-LSD1 condensates enriches the R-loop stimulating protein Rad51AP1 and increases TERRA-containing R-loops at telomeres. Our findings suggest that LSD1-TERRA phase separation enhances the function of R-loop regulatory molecules for ALT telomere maintenance, providing a mechanism for how the biophysical properties of histone modification enzyme-RNA interactions impact chromatin function.

Structural and mechanistic basis for recognition of alternative tRNA precursor substrates by bacterial ribonuclease P

Binding of precursor tRNAs (ptRNAs) by bacterial ribonuclease P (RNase P) involves an encounter complex (ES) that isomerizes to a catalytic conformation (ES*). However, the structures of intermediates and the conformational changes that occur during binding are poorly understood. Here, we show that pairing between the 5′ leader and 3′RCCA extending the acceptor stem of ptRNA inhibits ES* formation. Cryo-electron microscopy single particle analysis reveals a dynamic enzyme that becomes ordered upon formation of ES* in which extended acceptor stem pairing is unwound. Comparisons of structures with alternative ptRNAs reveals that once unwinding is completed RNase P primarily uses stacking interactions and shape complementarity to accommodate alternative sequences at its cleavage site. Our study reveals active site interactions and conformational changes that drive molecular recognition by RNase P and lays the foundation for understanding how binding interactions are linked to helix unwinding and catalysis.

Ribonuclease P efficiently processes all tRNA precursors despite sequence variation at the site of cleavage. Here, authors use high-throughput enzymology and cryoEM to reveal conformational changes that drive recognition by bacterial RNase P.

RNA Design Principles for Riboswitches that Regulate RNase P-Mediated tRNA Processing

Riboswitches are an attractive target for the directed design of RNA-based regulators by in silico prediction. These noncoding RNA elements consist of an aptamer platform for the highly selective ligand recognition and an expression platform which controls gene activity typically at the level of transcription or translation. In previous work, we could successfully apply RNA folding prediction to implement a new riboswitch mechanism regulating processing of a tRNA by RNase P. In this contribution, we present detailed information about our pipeline consisting of in silico design combined with the biochemical analysis for the verification of the implemented mechanism. Furthermore, we discuss the applicability of the presented biochemical in vivo and in vitro methods for the characterization of other artificial riboswitches.

Dissecting Monomer-Dimer Equilibrium of an RNase P Protein Provides Insight Into the Synergistic Flexibility of 5' Leader Pre-tRNA Recognition

Ribonuclease P (RNase P) is a universal RNA-protein endonuclease that catalyzes 5' precursor-tRNA (ptRNA) processing. The RNase P RNA plays the catalytic role in ptRNA processing; however, the RNase P protein is required for catalysis in vivo and interacts with the 5' leader sequence. A single P RNA and a P protein form the functional RNase P holoenzyme yet dimeric forms of bacterial RNase P can interact with non-tRNA substrates and influence bacterial cell growth. Oligomeric forms of the P protein can also occur in vitro and occlude the 5' leader ptRNA binding interface, presenting a challenge in accurately defining the substrate recognition properties. To overcome this, concentration and temperature dependent NMR studies were performed on a thermostable RNase P protein from Thermatoga maritima. NMR relaxation (R₁, R₂), heteronuclear NOE, and diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments were analyzed, identifying a monomeric species through the determination of the diffusion coefficients (D) and rotational correlation times (τ_c). Experimental diffusion coefficients and τ_c values for the predominant monomer (2.17 ± 0.36 * 10^-10 m²/s, τ _c = 5.3 ns) or dimer (1.87 ± 0.40* 10^-10 m²/s, τ _c = 9.7 ns) protein assemblies at 45°C correlate well with calculated diffusion coefficients derived from the crystallographic P protein structure (PDB 1NZ0). The identification of a monomeric P protein conformer from relaxation data and chemical shift information enabled us to gain novel insight into the structure of the P protein, highlighting a lack of structural convergence of the N-terminus (residues 1-14) in solution. We propose that the N-terminus of the bacterial P protein is partially disordered and adopts a stable conformation in the presence of RNA. In addition, we have determined the location of the 5' leader RNA in solution and measured the affinity of the 5' leader RNA-P protein interaction. We show that the monomer P protein interacts with RNA at the 5' leader binding cleft that was previously identified using X-ray crystallography. Data support a model where N-terminal protein flexibility is stabilized by holoenzyme formation and helps to accommodate the 5' leader region of ptRNA. Taken together, local structural changes of the P protein and the 5' leader RNA provide a means to obtain optimal substrate alignment and activation of the RNase P holoenzyme.

A screening platform to monitor RNA processing and protein-RNA interactions in ribonuclease P uncovers a small molecule inhibitor

Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes and RNA-processing enzymes are attractive targets for antibiotic development owing to their central roles in microbial physiology. For many of these complexes, comprehensive strategies to identify inhibitors are either lacking or suffer from substantial technical limitations. Here, we describe an activity-binding-structure platform for bacterial ribonuclease P (RNase P), an essential RNP ribozyme involved in 5' tRNA processing. A novel, real-time fluorescence-based assay was used to monitor RNase P activity and rapidly identify inhibitors using a mini-helix and a pre-tRNA-like bipartite substrate. Using the mini-helix substrate, we screened a library comprising 2560 compounds. Initial hits were then validated using pre-tRNA and the pre-tRNA-like substrate, which ultimately verified four compounds as inhibitors. Biolayer interferometry-based binding assays and molecular dynamics simulations were then used to characterize the interactions between each validated inhibitor and the P protein, P RNA and pre-tRNA. X-ray crystallographic studies subsequently elucidated the structure of the P protein bound to the most promising hit, purpurin, and revealed how this inhibitor adversely affects tRNA 5' leader binding. This integrated platform affords improved structure-function studies of RNA processing enzymes and facilitates the discovery of novel regulators or inhibitors.

Crystal structure of the ribonuclease-P-protein subunit from Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus ribonuclease-P-protein subunit (RnpA) is a promising antimicrobial target that is a key protein component for two essential cellular processes, RNA degradation and transfer-RNA (tRNA) maturation. The first crystal structure of RnpA from the pathogenic bacterial species, S. aureus, is reported at 2.0 Å resolution. The structure presented maintains key similarities with previously reported RnpA structures from bacteria and archaea, including the highly conserved RNR-box region and aromatic residues in the precursor-tRNA 5'-leader-binding domain. This structure will be instrumental in the pursuit of structure-based designed inhibitors targeting RnpA-mediated RNA processing as a novel therapeutic approach for treating S. aureus infections.

NMR resonance assignments of RNase P protein from Thermotoga maritima

Ribonuclase P (RNase P) is an essential metallo-endonuclease that catalyzes 5' precursor-tRNA (ptRNA) processing and exists as an RNA-based enzyme in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. In bacteria, a large catalytic RNA and a small protein component assemble to recognize and accurately cleave ptRNA and tRNA-like molecular scaffolds. Substrate recognition of ptRNA by bacterial RNase P requires RNA-RNA shape complementarity, intermolecular base pairing, and a dynamic protein-ptRNA binding interface. To gain insight into the binding specificity and dynamics of the bacterial protein-ptRNA interface, we report the backbone and side chain 1H, 13C, and 15N resonance assignments of the hyperthermophilic Thermatoga maritima RNase P protein in solution at 318 K. Our data confirm the formation of a stable RNA recognition motif (RRM) with intrinsic heterogeneity at both the N- and C-terminus of the protein, consistent with available structural information. Comprehensive resonance assignments of the bacterial RNase P protein serve as an important first step in understanding how coupled RNA binding and protein-RNA conformational changes give rise to ribonucleoprotein function.

Inner-Sphere Coordination of Divalent Metal Ion with Nucleobase in Catalytic RNA

Identification of the function of metal ions and the RNA moieties, particularly nucleobases, that bind metal ions is important in RNA catalysis. Here we combine single-atom and abasic substitutions to probe functions of conserved nucleobases in ribonuclease P (RNase P). Structural and biophysical studies of bacterial RNase P propose direct coordination of metal ions by the nucleobases of conserved uridine and guanosine in helix P4 of the RNA subunit (P RNA). To biochemically probe the function of metal ion interactions, we substituted the universally conserved bulged uridine (U51) in the P4 helix of circularly permuted Bacillus subtilis P RNA with 4-thiouridine, 4-deoxyuridine, and abasic modifications and G378/379 with 2-aminopurine, N7-deazaguanosine, and 6-thioguanosine. The functional group modifications of U51 decrease RNase P-catalyzed phosphodiester bond cleavage 16- to 23-fold, as measured by the single-turnover cleavage rate constant. The activity of the 4-thiouridine RNase P is partially rescued by addition of Cd(II) or Mn(II) ions. This is the first time a metal-rescue experiment provides evidence for inner-sphere divalent metal ion coordination with a nucleobase. Modifications of G379 modestly decrease the cleavage activity of RNase P, suggesting outer-sphere coordination of O6 on G379 to a metal ion. These data provide biochemical evidence for catalytically important interactions of the P4 helix of P RNA with metal ions, demonstrating that the bulged uridine coordinates at least one catalytic metal ion through an inner-sphere interaction. The combination of single-atom and abasic nucleotide substitutions provides a powerful strategy to probe functions of conserved nucleobases in large RNAs.

The contribution of the C5 protein subunit of Escherichia coli ribonuclease P to specificity for precursor tRNA is modulated by proximal 5' leader sequences

Recognition of RNA by RNA processing enzymes and RNA binding proteins often involves cooperation between multiple subunits. However, the interdependent contributions of RNA and protein subunits to molecular recognition by ribonucleoproteins are relatively unexplored. RNase P is an endonuclease that removes 5' leaders from precursor tRNAs and functions in bacteria as a dimer formed by a catalytic RNA subunit (P RNA) and a protein subunit (C5 in E. coli). The P RNA subunit contacts the tRNA body and proximal 5' leader sequences [N(-1) and N(-2)] while C5 binds distal 5' leader sequences [N(-3) to N(-6)]. To determine whether the contacts formed by P RNA and C5 contribute independently to specificity or exhibit cooperativity or anti-cooperativity, we compared the relative k_cat/K_m values for all possible combinations of the six proximal 5' leader nucleotides (n = 4096) for processing by the E. coli P RNA subunit alone and by the RNase P holoenzyme. We observed that while the P RNA subunit shows specificity for 5' leader nucleotides N(-2) and N(-1), the presence of the C5 protein reduces the contribution of P RNA to specificity, but changes specificity at N(-2) and N(-3). The results reveal that the contribution of C5 protein to RNase P processing is controlled by the identity of N(-2) in the pre-tRNA 5' leader. The data also clearly show that pairing of the 5' leader with the 3' ACCA of tRNA acts as an anti-determinant for RNase P cleavage. Comparative analysis of genomically encoded E. coli tRNAs reveals that both anti-determinants are subject to negative selection in vivo.

Structural Roles of Noncoding RNAs in the Heart of Enzymatic Complexes

Over billions of years of evolution, nature has embraced proteins as the major workhorse molecules of the cell. However, nearly every aspect of metabolism is dependent upon how structured RNAs interact with proteins, ligands, and other nucleic acids. Key processes, including telomere maintenance, RNA processing, and protein synthesis, require large RNAs that assemble into elaborate three-dimensional shapes. These RNAs can (i) act as flexible scaffolds for protein subunits, (ii) participate directly in substrate recognition, and (iii) serve as catalytic components. Here, we juxtapose the near atomic level interactions of three ribonucleoprotein complexes: ribonuclease P (involved in 5' pre-tRNA processing), the spliceosome (responsible for pre-mRNA splicing), and telomerase (an RNA-directed DNA polymerase that extends the ends of chromosomes). The focus of this perspective is profiling the structural and dynamic roles of RNAs at the core of these enzymes, highlighting how large RNAs contribute to molecular recognition and catalysis.

Functional role of putative critical residues in Mycobacterium tuberculosis RNase P protein

RNase P is involved in processing the 5' end of pre-tRNA molecules. Bacterial RNase P contains a catalytic RNA subunit and a protein subunit. In this study, we have analyzed the residues in RNase P protein of M. tuberculosis that differ from the residues generally conserved in other bacterial RNase Ps. The residues investigated in the current study include the unique residues, Val27, Ala70, Arg72, Ala77, and Asp124, and also Phe23 and Arg93 which have been found to be important in the function of RNase P protein components of other bacteria. The selected residues were individually mutated either to those present in other bacterial RNase P protein components at respective positions or in some cases to alanine. The wild type and mutant M. tuberculosis RNase P proteins were expressed in E. coli, purified, used to reconstitute holoenzymes with wild type RNA component in vitro, and functionally characterized. The Phe23Ala and Arg93Ala mutants showed very poor catalytic activity when reconstituted with the RNA component. The catalytic activity of holoenzyme with Val27Phe, Ala70Lys, Arg72Leu and Arg72Ala was also significantly reduced, whereas with Ala77Phe and Asp124Ser the activity of holoenzyme was similar to that with the wild type protein. Although the mutants did not suffer from any binding defects, Val27Phe, Ala70Lys, Arg72Ala and Asp124Ser were less tolerant towards higher temperatures as compared to the wild type protein. The Km of Val27Phe, Ala70Lys, Arg72Ala and Ala77Phe were >2-fold higher than that of the wild type, indicating the substituted residues to be involved in substrate interaction. The study demonstrates that residues Phe23, Val27 and Ala70 are involved in substrate interaction, while Arg72 and Arg93 interact with other residues within the protein to provide it a functional conformation.

Insight into the role of histidine in RNR motif of protein component of RNase P of M. tuberculosis in catalysis

RNase P, a ribonucleoprotein endoribonuclease, is involved in the 5' end processing of pre-tRNAs, with its RNA component being the catalytic subunit. It is an essential enzyme. All bacterial RNase Ps have one RNA and one protein component. A conserved RNR motif in bacterial RNase P protein components is involved in their interaction with the RNA component. In this work, we have reconstituted the RNase P of M. tuberculosis in vitro and investigated the role of a histidine in the RNR motif in its catalysis. We expressed the protein and RNA components of mycobacterial RNase P in E. coli, purified them, and reconstituted the holoenzyme in vitro. The histidine in RNR motif was mutated to alanine and asparagine by site-directed mutagenesis. The RNA component alone showed activity on pre-tRNA(ala) substrate at high magnesium concentrations. The RNA and protein components associated together to manifest catalytic activity at low magnesium concentrations. The histidine 67 in the RNR motif of M. tuberculosis RNase P protein component was found to be important for the catalytic activity and stability of the enzyme. Generally, the RNase P of M. tuberculosis functions like other bacterial enzymes. The histidine in the RNR motif of M. tuberculosis appears to be able to substitute optimally for asparagine found in the majority of the protein components of other bacterial RNase P enzymes.

Structural studies of RNase P

Ribonuclease P (RNase P) is one of the first ribozymes discovered and it is found in all phylogenetic groups. It is responsible for processing the 5' end of pre-tRNAs as well as other RNA molecules. RNase P is formed by an RNA molecule responsible for catalysis and one or more proteins. Structural studies of the proteins from different organisms, the bacterial RNA component, and a bacterial RNase P holoenzyme/tRNA complex provide insights into the mechanism of this universal ribozyme. Together with the existing wealth of biochemical information, these studies provide atomic-level information on the mechanism of RNase P and continue to expand our understanding of the structure and architecture of large RNA molecules and ribonucleoprotein complexes, the nature of catalysis by ribozymes, the structural basis of recognition of RNA by RNA molecules, and the evolution of enzymes from the prebiotic, RNA-based world to the modern world.

PPR proteins shed a new light on RNase P biology

A fast growing number of studies identify pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins as major players in gene expression processes. Among them, a subset of PPR proteins called PRORP possesses RNase P activity in several eukaryotes, both in nuclei and organelles. RNase P is the endonucleolytic activity that removes 5′ leader sequences from tRNA precursors and is thus essential for translation. Before the characterization of PRORP, RNase P enzymes were thought to occur universally as ribonucleoproteins, although some evidence implied that some eukaryotes or cellular compartments did not use RNA for RNase P activity. The characterization of PRORP reveals a two-domain enzyme, with an N-terminal domain containing multiple PPR motifs and assumed to achieve target specificity and a C-terminal domain holding catalytic activity. The nature of PRORP interactions with tRNAs suggests that ribonucleoprotein and protein-only RNase P enzymes share a similar substrate binding process.

Alternative substrate kinetics of Escherichia coli ribonuclease P: determination of relative rate constants by internal competition

A single enzyme, ribonuclease P (RNase P), processes the 5' ends of tRNA precursors (ptRNA) in cells and organelles that carry out tRNA biosynthesis. This substrate population includes over 80 different competing ptRNAs in Escherichia coli. Although the reaction kinetics and molecular recognition of a few individual model substrates of bacterial RNase P have been well described, the competitive substrate kinetics of the enzyme are comparatively unexplored. To understand the factors that determine how different ptRNA substrates compete for processing by E. coli RNase P, we compared the steady state reaction kinetics of two ptRNAs that differ at sequences that are contacted by the enzyme. For both ptRNAs, substrate cleavage is fast relative to dissociation. As a consequence, V/K, the rate constant for the reaction at limiting substrate concentrations, reflects the substrate association step for both ptRNAs. Reactions containing two or more ptRNAs follow simple competitive alternative substrate kinetics in which the relative rates of processing are determined by ptRNA concentration and their V/K. The relative V/K values for eight different ptRNAs, which were selected to represent the range of structure variation at sites contacted by RNase P, were determined by internal competition in reactions in which all eight substrates were present simultaneously. The results reveal a relatively narrow range of V/K values, suggesting that rates of ptRNA processing by RNase P are tuned for uniform specificity and consequently optimal coupling to precursor biosynthesis.