Deficiency of the ribosomal protein uS10 (RPS20) reorganizes human cells translatome according to the abundance, CDS length and GC content of mRNAs

The impact of ribosome biogenesis in cancer: from proliferation to metastasis

The dysregulation of ribosome biogenesis is a hallmark of cancer, facilitating the adaptation to altered translational demands essential for various aspects of tumor progression. This review explores the intricate interplay between ribosome biogenesis and cancer development, highlighting dynamic regulation orchestrated by key oncogenic signaling pathways. Recent studies reveal the multifaceted roles of ribosomes, extending beyond protein factories to include regulatory functions in mRNA translation. Dysregulated ribosome biogenesis not only hampers precise control of global protein production and proliferation but also influences processes such as the maintenance of stem cell-like properties and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, contributing to cancer progression. Interference with ribosome biogenesis, notably through RNA Pol I inhibition, elicits a stress response marked by nucleolar integrity loss, and subsequent G1-cell cycle arrest or cell death. These findings suggest that cancer cells may rely on heightened RNA Pol I transcription, rendering ribosomal RNA synthesis a potential therapeutic vulnerability. The review further explores targeting ribosome biogenesis vulnerabilities as a promising strategy to disrupt global ribosome production, presenting therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment.

Deficiency of the ribosomal protein uS10 (RPS20) reorganizes human cells translatome according to the abundance, CDS length and GC content of mRNAs

Ribosomal protein uS10, a product of the RPS20 gene, is an essential constituent of the small (40S) subunit of the human ribosome. Disruptive mutations in its gene are associated with a predisposition to hereditary colorectal carcinoma. Here, using HEK293T cells, we show that a deficiency of this protein leads to a decrease in the level of ribosomes (ribosomal shortage). RNA sequencing of the total and polysome-associated mRNA samples reveals hundreds of genes differentially expressed in the transcriptome (t)DEGs and translatome (p)DEGs under conditions of uS10 deficiency. We demonstrate that the (t)DEG and (p)DEG sets partially overlap, determine genes with altered translational efficiency (TE) and identify cellular processes affected by uS10 deficiency-induced ribosomal shortage. We reveal that translated mRNAs of upregulated (p)DEGs and genes with altered TE in uS10-deficient cells are generally more abundant and that their GC contents are significantly lower than those of the respective downregulated sets. We also observed that upregulated (p)DEGs have longer coding sequences. Based on our findings, we propose a combinatorial model describing the process of reorganization of mRNA translation under conditions of ribosomal shortage. Our results reveal rules according to which ribosomal shortage reorganizes the transcriptome and translatome repertoires of actively proliferating cells.