1
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Schuntermann DB, Jaskolowski M, Reynolds NM, Vargas-Rodriguez O. The central role of transfer RNAs in mistranslation. J Biol Chem 2024:107679. [PMID: 39154912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107679] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Transfer RNAs (tRNA) are essential small non-coding RNAs that enable the translation of genomic information into proteins in all life forms. The principal function of tRNAs is to bring amino acid building blocks to the ribosomes for protein synthesis. In the ribosome, tRNAs interact with messenger RNA (mRNA) to mediate the incorporation of amino acids into a growing polypeptide chain following the rules of the genetic code. Accurate interpretation of the genetic code requires tRNAs to carry amino acids matching their anticodon identity and decode the correct codon on mRNAs. Errors in these steps cause the translation of codons with the wrong amino acids (mistranslation), compromising the accurate flow of information from DNA to proteins. Accumulation of mutant proteins due to mistranslation jeopardizes proteostasis and cellular viability. However, the concept of mistranslation is evolving, with increasing evidence indicating that mistranslation can be used as a mechanism for survival and acclimatization to environmental conditions. In this review, we discuss the central role of tRNAs in modulating translational fidelity through their dynamic and complex interplay with translation factors. We summarize recent discoveries of mistranslating tRNAs and describe the underlying molecular mechanisms and the specific conditions and environments that enable and promote mistranslation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik B Schuntermann
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 5 HPK H10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mateusz Jaskolowski
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 5 HPK H10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Noah M Reynolds
- School of Integrated Sciences, Sustainability, and Public Health, University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Oscar Vargas-Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3305, USA.
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2
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Ward C, Beharry A, Tennakoon R, Rozik P, Wilhelm SDP, Heinemann IU, O’Donoghue P. Mechanisms and Delivery of tRNA Therapeutics. Chem Rev 2024; 124:7976-8008. [PMID: 38801719 PMCID: PMC11212642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00142] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) therapeutics will provide personalized and mutation specific medicines to treat human genetic diseases for which no cures currently exist. The tRNAs are a family of adaptor molecules that interpret the nucleic acid sequences in our genes into the amino acid sequences of proteins that dictate cell function. Humans encode more than 600 tRNA genes. Interestingly, even healthy individuals contain some mutant tRNAs that make mistakes. Missense suppressor tRNAs insert the wrong amino acid in proteins, and nonsense suppressor tRNAs read through premature stop signals to generate full length proteins. Mutations that underlie many human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, and diverse rare genetic disorders, result from missense or nonsense mutations. Thus, specific tRNA variants can be strategically deployed as therapeutic agents to correct genetic defects. We review the mechanisms of tRNA therapeutic activity, the nature of the therapeutic window for nonsense and missense suppression as well as wild-type tRNA supplementation. We discuss the challenges and promises of delivering tRNAs as synthetic RNAs or as gene therapies. Together, tRNA medicines will provide novel treatments for common and rare genetic diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cian Ward
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Aruun Beharry
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Rasangi Tennakoon
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Peter Rozik
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Sarah D. P. Wilhelm
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Ilka U. Heinemann
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Patrick O’Donoghue
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
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3
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Singh RN, Sani RK. Genome-Wide Computational Prediction and Analysis of Noncoding RNAs in Oleidesulfovibrio alaskensis G20. Microorganisms 2024; 12:960. [PMID: 38792789 PMCID: PMC11124144 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050960] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play key roles in the regulation of important pathways, including cellular growth, stress management, signaling, and biofilm formation. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) contribute to huge economic losses causing microbial-induced corrosion through biofilms on metal surfaces. To effectively combat the challenges posed by SRB, it is essential to understand their molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation. This study aimed to identify ncRNAs in the genome of a model SRB, Oleidesulfovibrio alaskensis G20 (OA G20). Three in silico approaches revealed genome-wide distribution of 37 ncRNAs excluding tRNAs in the OA G20. These ncRNAs belonged to 18 different Rfam families. This study identified riboswitches, sRNAs, RNP, and SRP. The analysis revealed that these ncRNAs could play key roles in the regulation of several pathways of biosynthesis and transport involved in biofilm formation by OA G20. Three sRNAs, Pseudomonas P10, Hammerhead type II, and sX4, which were found in OA G20, are rare and their roles have not been determined in SRB. These results suggest that applying various computational methods could enrich the results and lead to the discovery of additional novel ncRNAs, which could lead to understanding the "rules of life of OA G20" during biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Nageena Singh
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA;
- 2-Dimensional Materials for Biofilm Engineering, Science and Technology, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA
| | - Rajesh K. Sani
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA;
- 2-Dimensional Materials for Biofilm Engineering, Science and Technology, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA
- Data Driven Material Discovery Center for Bioengineering Innovation, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA
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4
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Khomarbaghi Z, Ngan WY, Ayan GB, Lim S, Dechow-Seligmann G, Nandy P, Gallie J. Large-scale duplication events underpin population-level flexibility in tRNA gene copy number in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2446-2462. [PMID: 38296823 PMCID: PMC10954465 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae049] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The complement of tRNA genes within a genome is typically considered to be a (relatively) stable characteristic of an organism. Here, we demonstrate that bacterial tRNA gene set composition can be more flexible than previously appreciated, particularly regarding tRNA gene copy number. We report the high-rate occurrence of spontaneous, large-scale, tandem duplication events in laboratory populations of the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. The identified duplications are up to ∼1 Mb in size (∼15% of the wildtype genome) and are predicted to change the copy number of up to 917 genes, including several tRNA genes. The observed duplications are inherently unstable: they occur, and are subsequently lost, at extremely high rates. We propose that this unusually plastic type of mutation provides a mechanism by which tRNA gene set diversity can be rapidly generated, while simultaneously preserving the underlying tRNA gene set in the absence of continued selection. That is, if a tRNA set variant provides no fitness advantage, then high-rate segregation of the duplication ensures the maintenance of the original tRNA gene set. However, if a tRNA gene set variant is beneficial, the underlying duplication fragment(s) may persist for longer and provide raw material for further, more stable, evolutionary change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Khomarbaghi
- Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics Research Group, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Wing Y Ngan
- Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics Research Group, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Gökçe B Ayan
- Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics Research Group, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Sungbin Lim
- Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics Research Group, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Gunda Dechow-Seligmann
- Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics Research Group, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Pabitra Nandy
- Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics Research Group, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Jenna Gallie
- Microbial Evolutionary Dynamics Research Group, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
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5
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Mattijssen S, Kerkhofs K, Stephen J, Yang A, Han CG, Tadafumi Y, Iben JR, Mishra S, Sakhawala RM, Ranjan A, Gowda M, Gahl WA, Gu S, Malicdan MC, Maraia RJ. A POLR3B-variant reveals a Pol III transcriptome response dependent on La protein/SSB. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.05.577363. [PMID: 38410490 PMCID: PMC10896340 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.05.577363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
RNA polymerase III (Pol III, POLR3) synthesizes tRNAs and other small non-coding RNAs. Human POLR3 pathogenic variants cause a range of developmental disorders, recapitulated in part by mouse models, yet some aspects of POLR3 deficiency have not been explored. We characterized a human POLR3B:c.1625A>G;p.(Asn542Ser) disease variant that was found to cause mis-splicing of POLR3B. Genome-edited POLR3B1625A>G HEK293 cells acquired the mis-splicing with decreases in multiple POLR3 subunits and TFIIIB, although display auto-upregulation of the Pol III termination-reinitiation subunit POLR3E. La protein was increased relative to its abundant pre-tRNA ligands which bind via their U(n)U-3'-termini. Assays for cellular transcription revealed greater deficiencies for tRNA genes bearing terminators comprised of 4Ts than of ≥5Ts. La-knockdown decreased Pol III ncRNA expression unlinked to RNA stability. Consistent with these effects, small-RNAseq showed that POLR3B1625A>G and patient fibroblasts express more tRNA fragments (tRFs) derived from pre-tRNA 3'-trailers (tRF-1) than from mature-tRFs, and higher levels of multiple miRNAs, relative to control cells. The data indicate that decreased levels of Pol III transcripts can lead to functional excess of La protein which reshapes small ncRNA profiles revealing new depth in the Pol III system. Finally, patient cell RNA analysis uncovered a strategy for tRF-1/tRF-3 as POLR3-deficiency biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy Mattijssen
- Section on Molecular and Cell Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kyra Kerkhofs
- Section on Molecular and Cell Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joshi Stephen
- Section of Human Biochemical Genetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Acong Yang
- RNA Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702 USA
| | - Chen G. Han
- Section of Human Biochemical Genetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yokoyama Tadafumi
- Section of Human Biochemical Genetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - James R. Iben
- Molecular Genetics Core, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Saurabh Mishra
- Section on Molecular and Cell Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rima M. Sakhawala
- Section on Molecular and Cell Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Amitabh Ranjan
- Section on Molecular and Cell Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mamatha Gowda
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India
| | - William A. Gahl
- Section of Human Biochemical Genetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Shuo Gu
- RNA Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702 USA
| | - May C. Malicdan
- Section of Human Biochemical Genetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Richard J. Maraia
- Section on Molecular and Cell Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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6
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Coller J, Ignatova Z. tRNA therapeutics for genetic diseases. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:108-125. [PMID: 38049504 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00829-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) have a crucial role in protein synthesis, and in recent years, their therapeutic potential for the treatment of genetic diseases - primarily those associated with a mutation altering mRNA translation - has gained significant attention. Engineering tRNAs to readthrough nonsense mutation-associated premature termination of mRNA translation can restore protein synthesis and function. In addition, supplementation of natural tRNAs can counteract effects of missense mutations in proteins crucial for tRNA biogenesis and function in translation. This Review will present advances in the development of tRNA therapeutics with high activity and safety in vivo and discuss different formulation approaches for single or chronic treatment modalities. The field of tRNA therapeutics is still in its early stages, and a series of challenges related to tRNA efficacy and stability in vivo, delivery systems with tissue-specific tropism, and safe and efficient manufacturing need to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Coller
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Zoya Ignatova
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
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7
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Gao L, Behrens A, Rodschinka G, Forcelloni S, Wani S, Strasser K, Nedialkova DD. Selective gene expression maintains human tRNA anticodon pools during differentiation. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:100-112. [PMID: 38191669 PMCID: PMC10791582 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01317-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Transfer RNAs are essential for translating genetic information into proteins. The human genome contains hundreds of predicted tRNA genes, many in multiple copies. How their expression is regulated to control tRNA repertoires is unknown. Here we combined quantitative tRNA profiling and chromatin immunoprecipitation with sequencing to measure tRNA expression following the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into neuronal and cardiac cells. We find that tRNA transcript levels vary substantially, whereas tRNA anticodon pools, which govern decoding rates, are more stable among cell types. Mechanistically, RNA polymerase III transcribes a wide range of tRNA genes in human induced pluripotent stem cells but on differentiation becomes constrained to a subset we define as housekeeping tRNAs. This shift is mediated by decreased mTORC1 signalling, which activates the RNA polymerase III repressor MAF1. Our data explain how tRNA anticodon pools are buffered to maintain decoding speed across cell types and reveal that mTORC1 drives selective tRNA expression during differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexi Gao
- Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Andrew Behrens
- Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Geraldine Rodschinka
- Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sergio Forcelloni
- Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sascha Wani
- Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Katrin Strasser
- Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Danny D Nedialkova
- Mechanisms of Protein Biogenesis, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
- Department of Bioscience, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
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8
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Schindler D, Walker RSK, Jiang S, Brooks AN, Wang Y, Müller CA, Cockram C, Luo Y, García A, Schraivogel D, Mozziconacci J, Pena N, Assari M, Sánchez Olmos MDC, Zhao Y, Ballerini A, Blount BA, Cai J, Ogunlana L, Liu W, Jönsson K, Abramczyk D, Garcia-Ruiz E, Turowski TW, Swidah R, Ellis T, Pan T, Antequera F, Shen Y, Nieduszynski CA, Koszul R, Dai J, Steinmetz LM, Boeke JD, Cai Y. Design, construction, and functional characterization of a tRNA neochromosome in yeast. Cell 2023; 186:5237-5253.e22. [PMID: 37944512 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Here, we report the design, construction, and characterization of a tRNA neochromosome, a designer chromosome that functions as an additional, de novo counterpart to the native complement of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Intending to address one of the central design principles of the Sc2.0 project, the ∼190-kb tRNA neochromosome houses all 275 relocated nuclear tRNA genes. To maximize stability, the design incorporates orthogonal genetic elements from non-S. cerevisiae yeast species. Furthermore, the presence of 283 rox recombination sites enables an orthogonal tRNA SCRaMbLE system. Following construction in yeast, we obtained evidence of a potent selective force, manifesting as a spontaneous doubling in cell ploidy. Furthermore, tRNA sequencing, transcriptomics, proteomics, nucleosome mapping, replication profiling, FISH, and Hi-C were undertaken to investigate questions of tRNA neochromosome behavior and function. Its construction demonstrates the remarkable tractability of the yeast model and opens up opportunities to directly test hypotheses surrounding these essential non-coding RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Schindler
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK; Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Roy S K Walker
- School of Engineering, Institute for Bioengineering, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, Scotland; School of Natural Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Shuangying Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Aaron N Brooks
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yun Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen 518083, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Carolin A Müller
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TU, UK
| | - Charlotte Cockram
- Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3525, Université Paris Cité, Unité Régulation Spatiale des Génomes, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Yisha Luo
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Alicia García
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG), CSIC, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Daniel Schraivogel
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julien Mozziconacci
- Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3525, Université Paris Cité, Unité Régulation Spatiale des Génomes, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Noah Pena
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Mahdi Assari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Yu Zhao
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Alba Ballerini
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Benjamin A Blount
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jitong Cai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lois Ogunlana
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, Scotland
| | - Wei Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, Scotland
| | - Katarina Jönsson
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, Scotland
| | - Dariusz Abramczyk
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, Scotland
| | - Eva Garcia-Ruiz
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Tomasz W Turowski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics PAS, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Reem Swidah
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Tom Ellis
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tao Pan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Francisco Antequera
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG), CSIC, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Yue Shen
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK; BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Shenzhen 518083, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Conrad A Nieduszynski
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TU, UK
| | - Romain Koszul
- Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3525, Université Paris Cité, Unité Régulation Spatiale des Génomes, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Junbiao Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lars M Steinmetz
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Genetics and Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Jef D Boeke
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | - Yizhi Cai
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK.
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9
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Davyt M, Bharti N, Ignatova Z. Effect of mRNA/tRNA mutations on translation speed: Implications for human diseases. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105089. [PMID: 37495112 PMCID: PMC10470029 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries establish tRNAs as central regulators of mRNA translation dynamics, and therefore cotranslational folding and function of the encoded protein. The tRNA pool, whose composition and abundance change in a cell- and tissue-dependent manner, is the main factor which determines mRNA translation velocity. In this review, we discuss a group of pathogenic mutations, in the coding sequences of either protein-coding genes or in tRNA genes, that alter mRNA translation dynamics. We also summarize advances in tRNA biology that have uncovered how variations in tRNA levels on account of genetic mutations affect protein folding and function, and thereby contribute to phenotypic diversity in clinical manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Davyt
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nikhil Bharti
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Zoya Ignatova
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
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10
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Butterfield SP, Sizer RE, Rand E, White RJ. Selection of tRNA Genes in Human Breast Tumours Varies Substantially between Individuals. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3576. [PMID: 37509247 PMCID: PMC10377016 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormally elevated expression of tRNA is a common feature of breast tumours. Rather than a uniform increase in all tRNAs, some are deregulated more strongly than others. Elevation of particular tRNAs has been associated with poor prognosis for patients, and experimental models have demonstrated the ability of some tRNAs to promote proliferation or metastasis. Each tRNA isoacceptor is encoded redundantly by multiple genes, which are commonly dispersed across several chromosomes. An unanswered question is whether the consistently high expression of a tRNA in a cancer type reflects the consistent activation of the same members of a gene family, or whether different family members are activated from one patient to the next. To address this question, we interrogated ChIP-seq data to determine which tRNA genes were active in individual breast tumours. This revealed that distinct sets of tRNA genes become activated in individual cancers, whereas there is much less variation in the expression patterns of families. Several pathways have been described that are likely to contribute to increases in tRNA gene transcription in breast tumours, but none of these can adequately explain the observed variation in the choice of genes between tumours. Current models may therefore lack at least one level of regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca E Sizer
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Emma Rand
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Robert J White
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
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11
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Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) stability and translational efficiency are two crucial aspects of the post-transcriptional process that profoundly impact protein production in a cell. While it is widely known that ribosomes produce proteins, studies during the past decade have surprisingly revealed that ribosomes also control mRNA stability in a codon-dependent manner, a process referred to as codon optimality. Therefore, codons, the three-nucleotide words read by the ribosome, have a potent effect on mRNA stability and provide cis-regulatory information that extends beyond the amino acids they encode. While the codon optimality molecular mechanism is still unclear, the translation elongation rate appears to trigger mRNA decay. Thus, transfer RNAs emerge as potential master gene regulators affecting mRNA stability. Furthermore, while few factors related to codon optimality have been identified in yeast, the orthologous genes in vertebrates do not necessary share the same functions. Here, we discuss codon optimality findings and gene regulation layers related to codon composition in different eukaryotic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiushuang Wu
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, USA;
| | - Ariel A Bazzini
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri, USA;
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
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12
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Hasan F, Lant JT, O'Donoghue P. Perseverance of protein homeostasis despite mistranslation of glycine codons with alanine. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220029. [PMID: 36633285 PMCID: PMC9835607 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
By linking amino acids to their codon assignments, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are essential for protein synthesis and translation fidelity. Some human tRNA variants cause amino acid mis-incorporation at a codon or set of codons. We recently found that a naturally occurring tRNASer variant decodes phenylalanine codons with serine and inhibits protein synthesis. Here, we hypothesized that human tRNA variants that misread glycine (Gly) codons with alanine (Ala) will also disrupt protein homeostasis. The A3G mutation occurs naturally in tRNAGly variants (tRNAGlyCCC, tRNAGlyGCC) and creates an alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AlaRS) identity element (G3 : U70). Because AlaRS does not recognize the anticodon, the human tRNAAlaAGC G35C (tRNAAlaACC) variant may function similarly to mis-incorporate Ala at Gly codons. The tRNAGly and tRNAAla variants had no effect on protein synthesis in mammalian cells under normal growth conditions; however, tRNAGlyGCC A3G depressed protein synthesis in the context of proteasome inhibition. Mass spectrometry confirmed Ala mistranslation at multiple Gly codons caused by the tRNAGlyGCC A3G and tRNAAlaAGC G35C mutants, and in some cases, we observed multiple mistranslation events in the same peptide. The data reveal mistranslation of Ala at Gly codons and defects in protein homeostasis generated by natural human tRNA variants that are tolerated under normal conditions. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reactivity and mechanism in chemical and synthetic biology'.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Alanine/genetics
- Alanine/chemistry
- Alanine/metabolism
- Alanine-tRNA Ligase/chemistry
- Alanine-tRNA Ligase/genetics
- Alanine-tRNA Ligase/metabolism
- Codon/genetics
- Glycine/genetics
- Glycine/metabolism
- Protein Biosynthesis
- Proteostasis
- RNA, Transfer/genetics
- RNA, Transfer/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Ala/chemistry
- RNA, Transfer, Ala/genetics
- RNA, Transfer, Ala/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Gly/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Hasan
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1
| | - Jeremy T. Lant
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1
| | - Patrick O'Donoghue
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1
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13
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Sizer RE, Chahid N, Butterfield SP, Donze D, Bryant NJ, White RJ. TFIIIC-based chromatin insulators through eukaryotic evolution. Gene X 2022; 835:146533. [PMID: 35623477 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146533] [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: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic chromosomes are divided into domains with distinct structural and functional properties, such as differing levels of chromatin compaction and gene transcription. Domains of relatively compact chromatin and minimal transcription are termed heterochromatic, whereas euchromatin is more open and actively transcribed. Insulators separate these domains and maintain their distinct features. Disruption of insulators can cause diseases such as cancer. Many insulators contain tRNA genes (tDNAs), examples of which have been shown to block the spread of activating or silencing activities. This characteristic of specific tDNAs is conserved through evolution, such that human tDNAs can serve as barriers to the spread of silencing in fission yeast. Here we demonstrate that tDNAs from the methylotrophic fungus Pichia pastoris can function effectively as insulators in distantly-related budding yeast. Key to the function of tDNAs as insulators is TFIIIC, a transcription factor that is also required for their expression. TFIIIC binds additional loci besides tDNAs, some of which have insulator activity. Although the mechanistic basis of TFIIIC-based insulation has been studied extensively in yeast, it is largely uncharacterized in metazoa. Utilising publicly-available genome-wide ChIP-seq data, we consider the extent to which mechanisms conserved from yeast to man may suffice to allow efficient insulation by TFIIIC in the more challenging chromatin environments of metazoa and suggest features that may have been acquired during evolution to cope with new challenges. We demonstrate the widespread presence at human tDNAs of USF1, a transcription factor with well-established barrier activity in vertebrates. We predict that tDNA-based insulators in higher organisms have evolved through incorporation of modules, such as binding sites for factors like USF1 and CTCF that are absent from yeasts, thereby strengthening function and providing opportunities for regulation between cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Sizer
- Department of Biology, The University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Nisreen Chahid
- Department of Biology, The University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | | | - David Donze
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Nia J Bryant
- Department of Biology, The University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Robert J White
- Department of Biology, The University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
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14
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Westhof E, Thornlow B, Chan PP, Lowe TM. Eukaryotic tRNA sequences present conserved and amino acid-specific structural signatures. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4100-4112. [PMID: 35380696 PMCID: PMC9023262 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metazoan organisms have many tRNA genes responsible for decoding amino acids. The set of all tRNA genes can be grouped in sets of common amino acids and isoacceptor tRNAs that are aminoacylated by corresponding aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Analysis of tRNA alignments shows that, despite the high number of tRNA genes, specific tRNA sequence motifs are highly conserved across multicellular eukaryotes. The conservation often extends throughout the isoacceptors and isodecoders with, in some cases, two sets of conserved isodecoders. This study is focused on non-Watson–Crick base pairs in the helical stems, especially GoU pairs. Each of the four helical stems may contain one or more conserved GoU pairs. Some are amino acid specific and could represent identity elements for the cognate aminoacyl tRNA synthetases. Other GoU pairs are found in more than a single amino acid and could be critical for native folding of the tRNAs. Interestingly, some GoU pairs are anticodon-specific, and others are found in phylogenetically-specific clades. Although the distribution of conservation likely reflects a balance between accommodating isotype-specific functions as well as those shared by all tRNAs essential for ribosomal translation, such conservations may indicate the existence of specialized tRNAs for specific translation targets, cellular conditions, or alternative functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Westhof
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, CNRS UPR 9002, 2, allée Konrad Roentgen, F-67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Bryan Thornlow
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.,UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Patricia P Chan
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.,UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Todd M Lowe
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.,UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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15
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Epigenetic regulation of human non-coding RNA gene transcription. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:723-736. [PMID: 35285478 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210860] [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: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Recent investigations on the non-protein-coding transcriptome of human cells have revealed previously hidden layers of gene regulation relying on regulatory non-protein-coding (nc) RNAs, including the widespread ncRNA-dependent regulation of epigenetic chromatin states and of mRNA translation and stability. However, despite its centrality, the epigenetic regulation of ncRNA genes has received relatively little attention. In this mini-review, we attempt to provide a synthetic account of recent literature suggesting an unexpected complexity in chromatin-dependent regulation of ncRNA gene transcription by the three human nuclear RNA polymerases. Emerging common features, like the heterogeneity of chromatin states within ncRNA multigene families and their influence on 3D genome organization, point to unexplored issues whose investigation could lead to a better understanding of the whole human epigenomic network.
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16
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Dynamic changes in tRNA modifications and abundance during T cell activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2106556118. [PMID: 34642250 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106556118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The tRNA pool determines the efficiency, throughput, and accuracy of translation. Previous studies have identified dynamic changes in the tRNA (transfer RNA) supply and mRNA (messenger RNA) demand during cancerous proliferation. Yet dynamic changes may also occur during physiologically normal proliferation, and these are less well characterized. We examined the tRNA and mRNA pools of T cells during their vigorous proliferation and differentiation upon triggering their antigen receptor. We observed a global signature of switch in demand for codons at the early proliferation phase of the response, accompanied by corresponding changes in tRNA expression levels. In the later phase, upon differentiation, the response of the tRNA pool relaxed back to the basal level, potentially restraining excessive proliferation. Sequencing of tRNAs allowed us to evaluate their diverse base-modifications. We found that two types of tRNA modifications, wybutosine and ms2t6A, are reduced dramatically during T cell activation. These modifications occur in the anticodon loops of two tRNAs that decode "slippery codons," which are prone to ribosomal frameshifting. Attenuation of these frameshift-protective modifications is expected to increase the potential for proteome-wide frameshifting during T cell proliferation. Indeed, human cell lines deleted of a wybutosine writer showed increased ribosomal frameshifting, as detected with an HIV gag-pol frameshifting site reporter. These results may explain HIV's specific tropism toward proliferating T cells since it requires ribosomal frameshift exactly on the corresponding codon for infection. The changes in tRNA expression and modifications uncover a layer of translation regulation during T cell proliferation and expose a potential tradeoff between cellular growth and translation fidelity.
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17
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Sun B, Chen Z, Chi Q, Zhang Y, Gao B. Endogenous tRNA-derived small RNA (tRF3-Thr-AGT) inhibits ZBP1/NLRP3 pathway-mediated cell pyroptosis to attenuate acute pancreatitis (AP). J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:10441-10453. [PMID: 34643045 PMCID: PMC8581331 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous transfer RNA‐derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are newly identified RNAs that are closely associated with the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, but the involvement of tsRNAs in regulating acute pancreatitis (AP) development has not been reported. In this study, we screened out a novel tsRNA, tRF3‐Thr‐AGT, that was aberrantly downregulated in the acinar cell line AR42J treated with sodium taurocholate (STC) and the pancreatic tissues of STC‐induced AP rat models. In addition, STC treatment suppressed cell viability, induced pyroptotic cell death and cellular inflammation in AP models in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of tRF3‐Thr‐AGT partially reversed STC‐induced detrimental effects on the AR42J cells. Next, Z‐DNA‐binding protein 1 (ZBP1) was identified as the downstream target of tRF3‐Thr‐AGT. Interestingly, upregulation of tRF3‐Thr‐AGT suppressed NOD‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)‐mediated pyroptotic cell death in STC‐treated AR42J cells via degrading ZBP1. Moreover, the effects of tRF3‐Thr‐AGT overexpression on cell viability and inflammation in AR42J cells were abrogated by upregulating ZBP1 and NLRP3. Collectively, our data indicated that tRF3‐Thr‐AGT suppressed ZBP1 expressions to restrain NLRP3‐mediated pyroptotic cell death and inflammation in AP models. This study, for the first time, identified the role and potential underlying mechanisms by which tRF3‐Thr‐AGT regulated AP pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boshi Sun
- The 3rd Department of General Surgery, The 2ndAffiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhuomiaoyu Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Chi
- The 3rd Department of General Surgery, The 2ndAffiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Gao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
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18
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Chan PP, Lin BY, Mak AJ, Lowe TM. tRNAscan-SE 2.0: improved detection and functional classification of transfer RNA genes. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9077-9096. [PMID: 34417604 PMCID: PMC8450103 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 506] [Impact Index Per Article: 168.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
tRNAscan-SE has been widely used for transfer RNA (tRNA) gene prediction for over twenty years, developed just as the first genomes were decoded. With the massive increase in quantity and phylogenetic diversity of genomes, the accurate detection and functional prediction of tRNAs has become more challenging. Utilizing a vastly larger training set, we created nearly one hundred specialized isotype- and clade-specific models, greatly improving tRNAscan-SE’s ability to identify and classify both typical and atypical tRNAs. We employ a new comparative multi-model strategy where predicted tRNAs are scored against a full set of isotype-specific covariance models, allowing functional prediction based on both the anticodon and the highest-scoring isotype model. Comparative model scoring has also enhanced the program's ability to detect tRNA-derived SINEs and other likely pseudogenes. For the first time, tRNAscan-SE also includes fast and highly accurate detection of mitochondrial tRNAs using newly developed models. Overall, tRNA detection sensitivity and specificity is improved for all isotypes, particularly those utilizing specialized models for selenocysteine and the three subtypes of tRNA genes encoding a CAU anticodon. These enhancements will provide researchers with more accurate and detailed tRNA annotation for a wider variety of tRNAs, and may direct attention to tRNAs with novel traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia P Chan
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Brian Y Lin
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Allysia J Mak
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Todd M Lowe
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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19
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Acton RJ, Yuan W, Gao F, Xia Y, Bourne E, Wozniak E, Bell J, Lillycrop K, Wang J, Dennison E, Harvey NC, Mein CA, Spector TD, Hysi PG, Cooper C, Bell CG. The genomic loci of specific human tRNA genes exhibit ageing-related DNA hypermethylation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2655. [PMID: 33976121 PMCID: PMC8113476 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22639-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The epigenome has been shown to deteriorate with age, potentially impacting on ageing-related disease. tRNA, while arising from only ˜46 kb (<0.002% genome), is the second most abundant cellular transcript. tRNAs also control metabolic processes known to affect ageing, through core translational and additional regulatory roles. Here, we interrogate the DNA methylation state of the genomic loci of human tRNA. We identify a genomic enrichment for age-related DNA hypermethylation at tRNA loci. Analysis in 4,350 MeDIP-seq peripheral-blood DNA methylomes (16-82 years), identifies 44 and 21 hypermethylating specific tRNAs at study-and genome-wide significance, respectively, contrasting with none hypomethylating. Validation and replication (450k array and independent targeted Bisuphite-sequencing) supported the hypermethylation of this functional unit. Tissue-specificity is a significant driver, although the strongest consistent signals, also independent of major cell-type change, occur in tRNA-iMet-CAT-1-4 and tRNA-Ser-AGA-2-6. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the genomic DNA methylation state of human tRNA genes and reveals a discreet hypermethylation with advancing age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Acton
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Charterhouse Square, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Human Development and Health, Institute of Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Wei Yuan
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, St Thomas Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
- Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Fei Gao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Emma Bourne
- Barts & The London Genome Centre, Blizard Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Eva Wozniak
- Barts & The London Genome Centre, Blizard Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Jordana Bell
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, St Thomas Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Karen Lillycrop
- Human Development and Health, Institute of Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Jun Wang
- Shenzhen Digital Life Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- iCarbonX, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Elaine Dennison
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Nicholas C Harvey
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Charles A Mein
- Barts & The London Genome Centre, Blizard Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Tim D Spector
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, St Thomas Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Pirro G Hysi
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, St Thomas Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Cyrus Cooper
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Christopher G Bell
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Charterhouse Square, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
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20
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Villarreal LP, Witzany G. Social Networking of Quasi-Species Consortia drive Virolution via Persistence. AIMS Microbiol 2021; 7:138-162. [PMID: 34250372 PMCID: PMC8255905 DOI: 10.3934/microbiol.2021010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of cooperative quasi-species consortia (QS-C) thinking from the more accepted quasispecies equations of Manfred Eigen, provides a conceptual foundation from which concerted action of RNA agents can now be understood. As group membership becomes a basic criteria for the emergence of living systems, we also start to understand why the history and context of social RNA networks become crucial for survival and function. History and context of social RNA networks also lead to the emergence of a natural genetic code. Indeed, this QS-C thinking can also provide us with a transition point between the chemical world of RNA replicators and the living world of RNA agents that actively differentiate self from non-self and generate group identity with membership roles. Importantly the social force of a consortia to solve complex, multilevel problems also depend on using opposing and minority functions. The consortial action of social networks of RNA stem-loops subsequently lead to the evolution of cellular organisms representing a tree of life.
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21
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Huang J, Chen W, Zhou F, Pang Z, Wang L, Pan T, Wang X. Tissue-specific reprogramming of host tRNA transcriptome by the microbiome. Genome Res 2021; 31:947-957. [PMID: 33858843 PMCID: PMC8168588 DOI: 10.1101/gr.272153.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are essential for translation, and tRNA expression and modifications are regulated by many factors. However, the interplay between the microbiome and host tRNA profiles through host-microbiome interactions has not been explored. In this study, we investigated host-microbiome interactions via the tRNA profiling of four tissue types from germ-free and specific pathogen-free mice. Our analyses reveal that cytosolic and mitochondrial tRNA expression and tRNA modifications in the host are reprogrammed in a tissue-specific and microbiome-dependent manner. In terms of tRNA expression, the intestines and brains are more sensitive to the influence of the microbiome than the livers and kidneys. In terms of tRNA modifications, cytosolic tRNAs show more obvious changes in the livers and kidneys in the presence of the microbiome. Our findings reveal a previously unexplored relationship among the microbiome, tRNA abundance, and epitranscriptome in a mammalian host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Wenjun Chen
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Fan Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Zhichang Pang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Luoluo Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Tao Pan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
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