scholarly journals Human REXO2 controls short mitochondrial RNAs generated by mtRNA processing and decay machinery to prevent accumulation of double-stranded RNA

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 5572-5590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Szewczyk ◽  
Deepshikha Malik ◽  
Lukasz S Borowski ◽  
Sylwia D Czarnomska ◽  
Anna V Kotrys ◽  
...  

Abstract RNA decay is a key element of mitochondrial RNA metabolism. To date, the only well-documented machinery that plays a role in mtRNA decay in humans is the complex of polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) and SUV3 helicase, forming the degradosome. REXO2, a homolog of prokaryotic oligoribonucleases present in humans both in mitochondria and the cytoplasm, was earlier shown to be crucial for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, but its function in mitochondria has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we created a cellular model that enables the clear dissection of mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial functions of human REXO2. We identified a novel mitochondrial short RNA, referred to as ncH2, that massively accumulated upon REXO2 silencing. ncH2 degradation occurred independently of the mitochondrial degradosome, strongly supporting the hypothesis that ncH2 is a primary substrate of REXO2. We also investigated the global impact of REXO2 depletion on mtRNA, revealing the importance of the protein for maintaining low steady-state levels of mitochondrial antisense transcripts and double-stranded RNA. Our detailed biochemical and structural studies provide evidence of sequence specificity of the REXO2 oligoribonuclease. We postulate that REXO2 plays dual roles in human mitochondria, ‘scavenging’ nanoRNAs that are produced by the degradosome and clearing short RNAs that are generated by RNA processing.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Zhou ◽  
Ludvig J. Backman ◽  
Patrik Danielson

AbstractScar formation as a result of corneal wound healing is a leading cause of blindness. It is a challenge to understand why scar formation is more likely to occur in the central part of the cornea as compared to the peripheral part. The purpose of this study was to unravel the underlying mechanisms. We applied RNA-seq to uncover the differences of expression profile in keratocytes in the central/peripheral part of the cornea. The relative quantity of mitochondrial RNA was measured by multiplex qPCR. The characterization of mitochondrial RNA in the cytoplasm was confirmed by immunofluoresence microscope and biochemical approach. Gene expression was analyzed by western blot and RT qPCR. We demonstrate that the occurrence of mitochondrial DNA common deletion is greater in keratocytes from the central cornea as compared to those of the peripheral part. The keratocytes with CD have elevated oxidative stress levels, which leads to the leakage of mitochondrial double-stranded RNA into the cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic mitochondrial double-stranded RNA is sensed by MDA5, which induces NF-κB activation. The NF-κB activation thereafter induces fibrosis-like extracellular matrix expressions and IL-8 mRNA transcription. These results provide a novel explanation of the different clinical outcome in different regions of the cornea during wound healing.


Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 371
Author(s):  
Filipa Barroso Gonçalves ◽  
Vanessa Alexandra Morais

Mitochondria are known as highly dynamic organelles essential for energy production. Intriguingly, in the recent years, mitochondria have revealed the ability to maintain cell homeostasis and ultimately regulate cell fate. This regulation is achieved by evoking mitochondrial quality control pathways that are capable of sensing the overall status of the cellular environment. In a first instance, actions to maintain a robust pool of mitochondria take place; however, if unsuccessful, measures that lead to overall cell death occur. One of the central key players of these mitochondrial quality control pathways is PINK1 (PTEN-induce putative kinase), a mitochondrial targeted kinase. PINK1 is known to interact with several substrates to regulate mitochondrial functions, and not only is responsible for triggering mitochondrial clearance via mitophagy, but also participates in maintenance of mitochondrial functions and homeostasis, under healthy conditions. Moreover, PINK1 has been associated with the familial form of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Growing evidence has strongly linked mitochondrial homeostasis to the central nervous system (CNS), a system that is replenished with high energy demanding long-lasting neuronal cells. Moreover, sporadic cases of PD have also revealed mitochondrial impairments. Thus, one could speculate that mitochondrial homeostasis is the common denominator in these two forms of the disease, and PINK1 may play a central role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. In this review, we will discuss the role of PINK1 in the mitochondrial physiology and scrutinize its role in the cascade of PD pathology.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2561-2569 ◽  
Author(s):  
L L Stohl ◽  
D A Clayton

Yeast mitochondrial DNA contains multiple promoters that sponsor different levels of transcription. Several promoters are individually located immediately adjacent to presumed origins of replication and have been suggested to play a role in priming of DNA replication. Although yeast mitochondrial DNA replication origins have not been extensively characterized at the primary sequence level, a common feature of these putative origins is the occurrence of a short guanosine-rich region in the priming strand downstream of the transcriptional start site. This situation is reminiscent of vertebrate mitochondrial DNA origins and raises the possibility of common features of origin function. In the case of human and mouse cells, there exists an RNA processing activity with the capacity to cleave at a guanosine-rich mitochondrial RNA sequence at an origin; we therefore sought the existence of a yeast endoribonuclease that had such a specificity. Whole cell and mitochondrial extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contain an RNase that cleaves yeast mitochondrial RNA in a site-specific manner similar to that of the human and mouse RNA processing activity RNase MRP. The exact location of cleavage within yeast mitochondrial RNA corresponds to a mapped site of transition from RNA to DNA synthesis. The yeast activity also cleaved mammalian mitochondrial RNA in a fashion similar to that of the mammalian RNase MRPs. The yeast endonuclease is a ribonucleoprotein, as judged by its sensitivity to nucleases and proteinase, and it was present in yeast strains lacking mitochondrial DNA, which demonstrated that all components required for in vitro cleavage are encoded by nuclear genes. We conclude that this RNase is the yeast RNase MRP.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 963-973
Author(s):  
J T Holt ◽  
R L Redner ◽  
A W Nienhuis

To study the role of a nuclear proto-oncogene in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation, we inhibited HL-60 c-myc expression with a complementary antisense oligomer. This oligomer was stable in culture and entered cells, forming an intracellular duplex. Incubation of cells with the anti-myc oligomer decreased the steady-state levels of c-myc protein by 50 to 80%, whereas a control oligomer did not significantly affect the c-myc protein concentration. Direct inhibition of c-myc expression with the anti-myc oligomer was associated with a decreased cell growth rate and an induction of myeloid differentiation. Related antisense oligomers with 2- to 12-base-pair mismatches with c-myc mRNA did not influence HL-60 cells. Thus, the effects of the antisense oligomer exhibited sequence specificity, and furthermore, these effects could be reversed by hybridization competition with another complementary oligomer. Antisense inhibition of a nuclear proto-oncogene apparently bypasses cell surface events in affecting cell proliferation and differentiation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 4381-4388
Author(s):  
J De Greve ◽  
J Battey ◽  
J Fedorko ◽  
M Birrer ◽  
G Evan ◽  
...  

The human proto-oncogene L-myc generates at least four different mRNAs by alternative RNA processing. We have identified two phosphorylated L-myc proteins with molecular masses of 60,000 and 66,000 daltons [p60L-myc(human) and p66L-myc(human)] in a small-cell carcinoma line expressing high levels of L-myc mRNA. These proteins have a short half-life and are localized to the nuclear matrix fraction, as previously reported for the c-myc and N-myc proteins. In vitro translation experiments demonstrated that both the p60 and p66 species are encoded by a 3.9-kilobase (kb) mRNA which retains intron 1, while only the p60 protein is translated from a 3.6-kb L-myc mRNA which has had intron 1 removed. While L-myc proteins [p32L-myc(human) and p37L-myc(human)] could be synthesized in vitro from 2.2-kb mRNA templates, no such proteins were detected by immunoprecipitation in vivo. These observations suggest that alternative RNA processing of the L-myc transcript could play a role in determining the steady-state levels of the p60L-myc and p66L-myc proteins.


Cells ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanca Hernando-Rodríguez ◽  
Marta Artal-Sanz

Mitochondrial functions are essential for life, critical for development, maintenance of stem cells, adaptation to physiological changes, responses to stress, and aging. The complexity of mitochondrial biogenesis requires coordinated nuclear and mitochondrial gene expression, owing to the need of stoichiometrically assemble the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system for ATP production. It requires, in addition, the import of a large number of proteins from the cytosol to keep optimal mitochondrial function and metabolism. Moreover, mitochondria require lipid supply for membrane biogenesis, while it is itself essential for the synthesis of membrane lipids. To achieve mitochondrial homeostasis, multiple mechanisms of quality control have evolved to ensure that mitochondrial function meets cell, tissue, and organismal demands. Herein, we give an overview of mitochondrial mechanisms that are activated in response to stress, including mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy and the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt). We then discuss the role of these stress responses in aging, with particular focus on Caenorhabditis elegans. Finally, we review observations that point to the mitochondrial prohibitin (PHB) complex as a key player in mitochondrial homeostasis, being essential for mitochondrial biogenesis and degradation, and responding to mitochondrial stress. Understanding how mitochondria responds to stress and how such responses are regulated is pivotal to combat aging and disease.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 3429-3436 ◽  
Author(s):  
V Stribinskis ◽  
G J Gao ◽  
P Sulo ◽  
Y L Dang ◽  
N C Martin

Rpm2p is a protein subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast mitochondrial RNase P, an enzyme which removes 5' leader sequences from mitochondrial tRNA precursors. Precursor tRNAs accumulate in strains carrying a disrupted allele of RPM2. The resulting defect in mitochondrial protein synthesis causes petite mutants to form. We report here that alteration in the biogenesis of Rpm1r, the RNase P RNA subunit, is another consequence of disrupting RPM2. High-molecular-weight transcripts accumulate, and no mature Rpm1r is produced. Transcript mapping reveals that the smallest RNA accumulated is extended on both the 5' and 3' ends relative to mature Rpm1r. This intermediate and other longer transcripts which accumulate are also found as low-abundance RNAs in wild-type cells, allowing identification of processing events necessary for conversion of the primary transcript to final products. Our data demonstrate directly that Rpm1r is transcribed with its substrates, tRNA met f and tRNAPro, from a promoter located upstream of the tRNA met f gene and suggest that a portion also originates from a second promoter, located between the tRNA met f gene and RPM1. We tested the possibility that precursors accumulate because the RNase P deficiency prevents the removal of the downstream tRNAPro. Large RPM1 transcripts still accumulate in strains missing this tRNA. Thus, an inability to process cotranscribed tRNAs does not explain the precursor accumulation phenotype. Furthermore, strains with mutant RPM1 genes also accumulate precursor Rpm1r, suggesting that mutations in either gene can lead to similar biogenesis defects. Several models to explain precursor accumulation are presented.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document