Probing the role of bba30, a highly conserved gene of the Lyme disease spirochete, throughout the mouse-tick infectious cycle

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bharti Bhatia ◽  
Chadwick Hillman ◽  
Philip E. Stewart ◽  
Patricia Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Homology Modelling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding ◽  
Fitness Advantage ◽  
Conserved Gene ◽  
Infectious Cycle

Borrelia burgdorferi , the causative agent of Lyme disease, has a complex and segmented genome consisting of a small linear chromosome and up to 21 linear and circular plasmids. Some of these plasmids are essential as they carry genes that are critical during the life cycle of the Lyme disease spirochete. Among these is a highly conserved linear plasmid, lp54, which is crucial for the mouse-tick infectious cycle of B. burgdorferi . However, the functions of most lp54-encoded open reading frames (ORFs) remain unknown. In this study, we investigate the contribution of a previously uncharacterized lp54 gene during the infectious cycle of B. burgdorferi . This gene, bba30 , is conserved in the Borrelia genus but lacks any identified homologs outside the genus. Homology modelling of BBA30 ORF indicated the presence of a nucleic acid binding motif, Helix-Turn-Helix (HTH), near the amino terminus of the protein, suggesting a putative regulatory function. A previous study reported that spirochetes with a transposon insertion in bba30 exhibited a non-infectious phenotype in mice. In the current study, however, we demonstrate that the highly conserved bba30 gene is not required by the Lyme disease spirochete at any stage of the experimental mouse/tick infectious cycle. We conclude that the undefined circumstances under which bba30 potentially confers a fitness advantage in the natural life cycle of B. burgdorferi are not factors of the experimental infectious cycle that we employ.

scholarly journals Translation of ABCE1 Is Tightly Regulated by Upstream Open Reading Frames in Human Colorectal Cells

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 911
Author(s):  
Joana Silva ◽  
Pedro Nina ◽  
Luísa Romão
Keyword(s):  
Translational Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Leader Sequence ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Coding Sequence ◽  
Abc Protein ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Reading Frames

ATP-binding cassette subfamily E member 1 (ABCE1) belongs to the ABC protein family of transporters; however, it does not behave as a drug transporter. Instead, ABCE1 actively participates in different stages of translation and is also associated with oncogenic functions. Ribosome profiling analysis in colorectal cancer cells has revealed a high ribosome occupancy in the human ABCE1 mRNA 5′-leader sequence, indicating the presence of translatable upstream open reading frames (uORFs). These cis-acting translational regulatory elements usually act as repressors of translation of the main coding sequence. In the present study, we dissect the regulatory function of the five AUG and five non-AUG uORFs identified in the human ABCE1 mRNA 5′-leader sequence. We show that the expression of the main coding sequence is tightly regulated by the ABCE1 AUG uORFs in colorectal cells. Our results are consistent with a model wherein uORF1 is efficiently translated, behaving as a barrier to downstream uORF translation. The few ribosomes that can bypass uORF1 (and/or uORF2) must probably initiate at the inhibitory uORF3 or uORF5 that efficiently repress translation of the main ORF. This inhibitory property is slightly overcome in conditions of endoplasmic reticulum stress. In addition, we observed that these potent translation-inhibitory AUG uORFs function equally in cancer and in non-tumorigenic colorectal cells, which is consistent with a lack of oncogenic function. In conclusion, we establish human ABCE1 as an additional example of uORF-mediated translational regulation and that this tight regulation contributes to control ABCE1 protein levels in different cell environments.

The positive regulatory function of the 5'-proximal open reading frames in GCN4 mRNA can be mimicked by heterologous, short coding sequences

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 3827-3836
Author(s):  
N P Williams ◽  
P P Mueller ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Translational Control ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Yeast Genes ◽  
Reading Frames

Translational control of GCN4 expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is mediated by multiple AUG codons present in the leader of GCN4 mRNA, each of which initiates a short open reading frame of only two or three codons. Upstream AUG codons 3 and 4 are required to repress GCN4 expression in normal growth conditions; AUG codons 1 and 2 are needed to overcome this repression in amino acid starvation conditions. We show that the regulatory function of AUG codons 1 and 2 can be qualitatively mimicked by the AUG codons of two heterologous upstream open reading frames (URFs) containing the initiation regions of the yeast genes PGK and TRP1. These AUG codons inhibit GCN4 expression when present singly in the mRNA leader; however, they stimulate GCN4 expression in derepressing conditions when inserted upstream from AUG codons 3 and 4. This finding supports the idea that AUG codons 1 and 2 function in the control mechanism as translation initiation sites and further suggests that suppression of the inhibitory effects of AUG codons 3 and 4 is a general consequence of the translation of URF 1 and 2 sequences upstream. Several observations suggest that AUG codons 3 and 4 are efficient initiation sites; however, these sequences do not act as positive regulatory elements when placed upstream from URF 1. This result suggests that efficient translation is only one of the important properties of the 5' proximal URFs in GCN4 mRNA. We propose that a second property is the ability to permit reinitiation following termination of translation and that URF 1 is optimized for this regulatory function.

scholarly journals Application of Serial Analysis of Gene Expression to the Study of the Gene Expression Profile ofLeishmania infantum chagasiPromastigote

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelino Soares Lima Neto ◽  
Osvaldo Pompílio de Melo Neto ◽  
Carlos Henrique Nery Costa
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Gene Expression Profile ◽  
Expression Profile ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Genomic Sequences ◽  
Coding Sequences ◽  
Key Genes ◽  
Reading Frames

This study describes the application of the LongSAGE methodology to study the gene expression profile in promastigotes ofLeishmania infantum chagasi. A tag library was created using the LongSAGE method and consisted of 14,208 tags of 17 bases. Of these, 8,427 (59.3%) were distinct. BLAST research of the 1,645 most abundant tags showed that 12.8% of them identified the coding sequences of genes, while 82% (1,349/1,645) identified one or more genomic sequences that did not correspond with open reading frames. Only 5.2% (84/1,645) of the tags were not aligned to any position in theL. infantum genome. The UTR size ofLeishmaniaand the lack of CATG sites in some transcripts were decisive for the generation of tags in these regions. Additional analysis will allow a better understanding of the expression profile and discovering the key genes in this life cycle.

The first and fourth upstream open reading frames in GCN4 mRNA have similar initiation efficiencies but respond differently in translational control to change in length and sequence

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 5439-5447
Author(s):  
P P Mueller ◽  
B M Jackson ◽  
P F Miller ◽  
A G Hinnebusch
Keyword(s):  
Translational Control ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Coding Sequences ◽  
Lacz Fusions ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Reading Frames ◽  
Starvation Conditions

The third and fourth AUG codons in GCN4 mRNA efficiently repress translation of the GCN4-coding sequences under normal growth conditions. The first AUG codon is approximately 30-fold less inhibitory and is required under amino acid starvation conditions to override the repressing effects of AUG codons 3 and 4. lacZ fusions constructed to functional, elongated versions of the first and fourth upstream open reading frames (URFs) were used to show that AUG codons 1 and 4 function similarly as efficient translational start sites in vivo, raising the possibility that steps following initiation distinguish the regulatory properties of URFs 1 and 4. In accord with this idea, we observed different consequences of changing the length and termination site of URF1 versus changing those of URFs 3 and 4. The latter were lengthened considerably, with little or no effect on regulation. In fact, the function of URFs 3 and 4 was partially reconstituted with a completely heterologous URF. By contrast, certain mutations that lengthen URF1 impaired its positive regulatory function nearly as much as removing its AUG codon did. The same mutations also made URF1 a much more inhibitory element when it was present alone in the mRNA leader. These results strongly suggest that URFs 1 and 4 both function in regulation as translated coding sequences. To account for the phenotypes of the URF1 mutations, we suggest the most ribosomes normally translate URF1 and that the mutations reduce the number of ribosomes that are able to complete URF1 translation and resume scanning downstream. This effect would impair URF1 positive regulatory function if ribosomes must first translate URF1 in order to overcome the strong translational block at the 3'-proximal URFs. Because URF1-lacZ fusions were translated at the same rate under repressing and derepressing conditions, it appears that modulating initiation at URF1 is not the means that is used to restrict the regulatory consequences of URF1 translation to starvation conditions.

scholarly journals Translational induction of ATF4 during integrated stress response requires noncanonical initiation factors eIF2D and DENR

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepika Vasudevan ◽  
Sarah D. Neuman ◽  
Amy Yang ◽  
Lea Lough ◽  
Brian Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Er Stress ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Integrated Stress Response ◽  
Developmental Defects ◽  
Initiation Factors

Abstract The Integrated Stress Response (ISR) helps metazoan cells adapt to cellular stress by limiting the availability of initiator methionyl-tRNA for translation. Such limiting conditions paradoxically stimulate the translation of ATF4 mRNA through a regulatory 5′ leader sequence with multiple upstream Open Reading Frames (uORFs), thereby activating stress-responsive gene expression. Here, we report the identification of two critical regulators of such ATF4 induction, the noncanonical initiation factors eIF2D and DENR. Loss of eIF2D and DENR in Drosophila results in increased vulnerability to amino acid deprivation, susceptibility to retinal degeneration caused by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and developmental defects similar to ATF4 mutants. eIF2D requires its RNA-binding motif for regulation of 5′ leader-mediated ATF4 translation. Consistently, eIF2D and DENR deficient human cells show impaired ATF4 protein induction in response to ER stress. Altogether, our findings indicate that eIF2D and DENR are critical mediators of ATF4 translational induction and stress responses in vivo.

scholarly journals N6-methyladenosine modification of hepatitis B virus RNA differentially regulates the viral life cycle

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (35) ◽  
pp. 8829-8834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan Imam ◽  
Mohsin Khan ◽  
Nandan S. Gokhale ◽  
Alexa B. R. McIntyre ◽  
Geon-Woo Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Regulatory Function ◽  
Messenger Rnas ◽  
Stem Loop ◽  
B Virus ◽  
A Site

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation is the most abundant epitranscriptomic modification of eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Previous reports have found m6A on both cellular and viral transcripts and defined its role in regulating numerous biological processes, including viral infection. Here, we show that m6A and its associated machinery regulate the life cycle of hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV is a DNA virus that completes its life cycle via an RNA intermediate, termed pregenomic RNA (pgRNA). Silencing of enzymes that catalyze the addition of m6A to RNA resulted in increased HBV protein expression, but overall reduced reverse transcription of the pgRNA. We mapped the m6A site in the HBV RNA and found that a conserved m6A consensus motif situated within the epsilon stem loop structure, is the site for m6A modification. The epsilon stem loop is located in the 3′ terminus of all HBV mRNAs and at both the 5′ and 3′ termini of the pgRNA. Mutational analysis of the identified m6A site in the 5′ epsilon stem loop of pgRNA revealed that m6A at this site is required for efficient reverse transcription of pgRNA, while m6A methylation of the 3′ epsilon stem loop results in destabilization of all HBV transcripts, suggesting that m6A has dual regulatory function for HBV RNA. Overall, this study reveals molecular insights into how m6A regulates HBV gene expression and reverse transcription, leading to an increased level of understanding of the HBV life cycle.

scholarly journals Function of theBorrelia burgdorferiFtsH Homolog Is Essential for Viability bothIn VitroandIn Vivoand Independent of HflK/C

mBio ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen-Yi Chu ◽  
Philip E. Stewart ◽  
Aaron Bestor ◽  
Bryan Hansen ◽  
Tao Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Protein Transport ◽  
Protein Quality ◽  
Laboratory Culture ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Infectious Cycle

ABSTRACTIn many bacteria, the FtsH protease and its modulators, HflK and HflC, form a large protein complex that contributes to both membrane protein quality control and regulation of the cellular response to environmental stress. Both activities are crucial to the Lyme disease pathogenBorrelia burgdorferi, which depends on membrane functions, such as motility, protein transport, and cell signaling, to respond to rapid changes in its environment. Using an inducible system, we demonstrate that FtsH production is essential for both mouse and tick infectivity and forin vitrogrowth ofB. burgdorferi. FtsH depletion inB. burgdorfericells resulted in membrane deformation and cell death. Overproduction of the protease did not have any detectable adverse effects onB. burgdorferigrowthin vitro, suggesting that excess FtsH does not proteolytically overwhelm its substrates. In contrast, we did not observe any phenotype for cells lacking the protease modulators HflK and HflC (ΔHflK/C), although we examined morphology, growth rate, growth under stress conditions, and the complete mouse-tick infectious cycle. Our results demonstrate that FtsH provides an essential function in the life cycle of the obligate pathogenB. burgdorferibut that HflK and HflC do not detectably affect FtsH function.IMPORTANCELyme disease is caused byBorrelia burgdorferi, which is maintained in nature in an infectious cycle alternating between small mammals andIxodesticks.B. burgdorferiproduces specific membrane proteins to successfully infect and persist in these diverse organisms. We hypothesized thatB. burgdorferihas a specific mechanism to ensure that membrane proteins are properly folded and biologically active when needed and removed if improperly folded or dysfunctional. Our experiments demonstrate that FtsH, a protease that fulfills this role in other microorganisms, is essential toB. burgdorferiviability. Cells depleted of FtsH do not survive in laboratory culture medium and cannot colonize mice or ticks, revealing an absolute requirement for this protease. However, the loss of two potential modulators of FtsH activity, HflK and HflC, does not detectably affectB. burgdorferiphysiology. Our results provide the groundwork for the identification of FtsH substrates that are critical for the bacterium’s viability.

scholarly journals Structure of a new nucleic-acid-binding motif in eukaryotic transcriptional elongation factor TFIIS

Nature ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 365 (6443) ◽  
pp. 277-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiuqu Qian ◽  
ChoonJu Jeon ◽  
HoSup Yoon ◽  
Kan Agarwal ◽  
Michael A. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Transcriptional Elongation ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding

scholarly journals Structure and expression of ubiquitin genes of Drosophila melanogaster.

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 4727-4735 ◽  
Author(s):  
H S Lee ◽  
J A Simon ◽  
J T Lis
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Heat Shock ◽  
Germ Line ◽  
Fusion Gene ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Drosophila Genome ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding ◽  
Positional Identity ◽  
Polyubiquitin Gene ◽  
A Minor

We isolated and characterized two related ubiquitin genes from Drosophila melanogaster, polyubiquitin and UB3-D. The polyubiquitin gene contained 18 repeats of the 228-base-pair monomeric ubiquitin-encoding unit arranged in tandem. This gene was localized to a minor heat shock puff site, 63F, and it encoded a constitutively expressed 4.4-kilobase polyubiquitin-encoding mRNA, whose level was induced threefold by heat shock. To investigate the pattern of expression of the polyubiquitin gene in developing animals, a polyubiquitin-lacZ fusion gene was introduced into the Drosophila genome by germ line transformation. The fusion gene was expressed at high levels in a tissue-general manner at all life stages assayed. The ubiquitin-encoding gene, UB3-D, consisted of one ubiquitin-encoding unit directly fused, in frame, to a nonhomologous tail sequence. The amino acid sequence of the tail portion of the protein had 65% positional identity with that of yeast UBI3 protein, including a region that contained a potential nucleic acid-binding motif. The Drosophila UB3-D gene hybridized to a 0.9-kilobase mRNA that was constitutively expressed, and in contrast to the polyubiquitin gene, it was not inducible by heat shock.

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