scholarly journals Leaderless mRNAs Bind 70S Ribosomes More Strongly than 30S Ribosomal Subunits in Escherichia coli

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (23) ◽  
pp. 6730-6733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M. O'Donnell ◽  
Gary R. Janssen

ABSTRACT By primer extension inhibition assays, 70S ribosomes bound with higher affinity, or stability, than did 30S subunits to leaderless mRNAs containing AUG or GUG start codons. Addition of translation initiation factors affected ribosome binding to leaderless mRNAs. Our results suggest that translation of leaderless mRNAs might initiate through a pathway involving 70S ribosomes or 30S subunits lacking IF3.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1134-1144 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Rozen ◽  
I Edery ◽  
K Meerovitch ◽  
T E Dever ◽  
W C Merrick ◽  
...  

The mechanism of ribosome binding to eucaryotic mRNAs is not well understood, but it requires the participation of eucaryotic initiation factors eIF-4A, eIF-4B, and eIF-4F and the hydrolysis of ATP. Evidence has accumulated in support of a model in which these initiation factors function to unwind the 5'-proximal secondary structure in mRNA to facilitate ribosome binding. To obtain direct evidence for initiation factor-mediated RNA unwinding, we developed a simple assay to determine RNA helicase activity, and we show that eIF-4A or eIF-4F, in combination with eIF-4B, exhibits helicase activity. A striking and unprecedented feature of this activity is that it functions in a bidirectional manner. Thus, unwinding can occur either in the 5'-to-3' or 3'-to-5' direction. Unwinding in the 5'-to-3' direction by eIF-4F (the cap-binding protein complex), in conjunction with eIF-4B, was stimulated by the presence of the RNA 5' cap structure, whereas unwinding in the 3'-to-5' direction was completely cap independent. These results are discussed with respect to cap-dependent versus cap-independent mechanisms of ribosome binding to eucaryotic mRNAs.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 2673-2683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Mokas ◽  
John R. Mills ◽  
Cristina Garreau ◽  
Marie-Josée Fournier ◽  
Francis Robert ◽  
...  

Cytoplasmic stress granules (SGs) are specialized regulatory sites of mRNA translation that form under different stress conditions known to inhibit translation initiation. The formation of SG occurs via two pathways; the eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 2α phosphorylation-dependent pathway mediated by stress and the eIF2α phosphorylation-independent pathway mediated by inactivation of the translation initiation factors eIF4A and eIF4G. In this study, we investigated the effects of targeting different translation initiation factors and steps in SG formation in HeLa cells. By depleting eIF2α, we demonstrate that reduced levels of the eIF2.GTP.Met-tRNAiMet ternary translation initiation complexes is sufficient to induce SGs. Likewise, reduced levels of eIF4B, eIF4H, or polyA-binding protein, also trigger SG formation. In contrast, depletion of the cap-binding protein eIF4E or preventing its assembly into eIF4F results in modest SG formation. Intriguingly, interfering with the last step of translation initiation by blocking the recruitment of 60S ribosome either with 2-(4-methyl-2,6-dinitroanilino)-N-methylpropionamideis or through depletion of the large ribosomal subunits protein L28 does not induce SG assembly. Our study identifies translation initiation steps and factors involved in SG formation as well as those that can be targeted without induction of SGs.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1134-1144 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Rozen ◽  
I Edery ◽  
K Meerovitch ◽  
T E Dever ◽  
W C Merrick ◽  
...  

The mechanism of ribosome binding to eucaryotic mRNAs is not well understood, but it requires the participation of eucaryotic initiation factors eIF-4A, eIF-4B, and eIF-4F and the hydrolysis of ATP. Evidence has accumulated in support of a model in which these initiation factors function to unwind the 5'-proximal secondary structure in mRNA to facilitate ribosome binding. To obtain direct evidence for initiation factor-mediated RNA unwinding, we developed a simple assay to determine RNA helicase activity, and we show that eIF-4A or eIF-4F, in combination with eIF-4B, exhibits helicase activity. A striking and unprecedented feature of this activity is that it functions in a bidirectional manner. Thus, unwinding can occur either in the 5'-to-3' or 3'-to-5' direction. Unwinding in the 5'-to-3' direction by eIF-4F (the cap-binding protein complex), in conjunction with eIF-4B, was stimulated by the presence of the RNA 5' cap structure, whereas unwinding in the 3'-to-5' direction was completely cap independent. These results are discussed with respect to cap-dependent versus cap-independent mechanisms of ribosome binding to eucaryotic mRNAs.


2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (20) ◽  
pp. 6864-6875 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Michael Day ◽  
Gary R. Janssen

ABSTRACT A primer extension inhibition (toeprint) assay was developed using ribosomes and ribosomal subunits from Streptomyces lividans. This assay allowed the study of ribosome binding to streptomycete leaderless and leadered mRNA. Purified 30S subunits were unable to form a ternary complex on aph leaderless mRNA, whereas 70S ribosomes could form ternary complexes on this mRNA. 30S subunits formed ternary complexes on leadered aph and malE mRNA. The translation initiation factors (IF1, IF2, and IF3) from S. lividans were isolated and included in toeprint and filter binding assays with leadered and leaderless mRNA. Generally, the IFs reduced the toeprint signal on leadered mRNA; however, incubation of IF1 and IF2 with 30S subunits that had been washed under high-salt conditions promoted the formation of a ternary complex on aph leaderless mRNA. Our data suggest that, as reported for Escherichia coli, initiation complexes with leaderless mRNAs might use a novel pathway involving 70S ribosomes or 30S subunits bound by IF1 and IF2 but not IF3. Some mRNA-ribosome-initiator tRNA reactions that yielded weak or no toeprint signals still formed complexes in filter binding assays, suggesting the occurrence of interactions that are not stable in the toeprint assay.


2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel P. Hoyle ◽  
Mark P. Ashe

Both the process and synthesis of factors required for protein synthesis (or translation) account for a large proportion of cellular activity. In eukaryotes, the most complex and highly regulated phase of protein synthesis is that of initiation. For instance, across eukaryotes, at least 12 factors containing 22 or more proteins are involved, and there are several regulated steps. Recently, the localization of mRNA and factors involved in translation has received increased attention. The present review provides a general background to the subcellular localization of mRNA and translation initiation factors, and focuses on the potential functions of localized translation initiation factors. That is, as genuine sites for translation initiation, as repositories for factors and mRNA, and as sites of regulation.


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