scholarly journals RNA Editing in Trypanosoma brucei Requires Three Different Editosomes

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Carnes ◽  
James Raffaello Trotter ◽  
Adam Peltan ◽  
Michele Fleck ◽  
Kenneth Stuart

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma brucei has three distinct ∼20S editosomes that catalyze RNA editing by the insertion and deletion of uridylates. Editosomes with the KREN1 or KREN2 RNase III type endonucleases specifically cleave deletion and insertion editing site substrates, respectively. We report here that editosomes with KREPB2, which also has an RNase III motif, specifically cleave cytochrome oxidase II (COII) pre-mRNA insertion editing site substrates in vitro. Conditional repression and mutation studies also show that KREPB2 is an editing endonuclease specifically required for COII mRNA editing in vivo. Furthermore, KREPB2 expression is essential for the growth and survival of bloodstream forms. Thus, editing in T. brucei requires at least three compositionally and functionally distinct ∼20S editosomes, two of which distinguish between different insertion editing sites. This unexpected finding reveals an additional level of complexity in the RNA editing process and suggests a mechanism for how the selection of sites for editing in vivo is controlled.

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (22) ◽  
pp. 6939-6953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuemin Guo ◽  
Nancy Lewis Ernst ◽  
Kenneth D. Stuart

ABSTRACT Three types of editosomes, each with an identical core containing six related KREPA proteins, catalyze the U insertion and deletion RNA editing of mitochondrial mRNAs in trypanosomes. Repression of expression of one of these, KREPA3 (also known as TbMP42), shows that it is essential for growth and in vivo editing in both procyclic (PF) and bloodstream (BF) life cycle stages of Trypanosoma brucei. RNA interference knockdown results in editosome disruption and altered in vitro editing in PFs, while repression by regulatable double knockout results in almost complete loss of editosomes in BFs. Mutational analysis shows that the KREPA3 zinc fingers and OB-fold domain are each essential for growth and in vivo editing. Nevertheless, KREPA3 with mutated zinc fingers incorporates into editosomes that catalyze in vitro editing and thus is not essential for editosome integrity, although stability is affected. In contrast, the OB-fold domain is essential for editosome integrity. Overall, KREPA3, especially its OB-fold, functions in editosome integrity, and its zinc fingers are essential for editing in vivo but not for the central catalytic steps. KREPA3 may function in editosome organization and/or RNA positioning.


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 6726-6734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuya Miyamoto ◽  
Junichi Obokata ◽  
Masahiro Sugiura

ABSTRACT RNA editing in higher-plant chloroplasts involves C-to-U conversions at specific sites. Although in vivo analyses have been performed, little is known about the biochemical aspects of chloroplast editing reactions. Here we improved our original in vitro system and devised a procedure for preparing active chloroplast extracts not only from tobacco plants but also from pea plants. Using our tobacco in vitro system, cis-acting elements were defined for psbE and petB mRNAs. Distinct proteins were found to bind specifically to each cis-element, a 56-kDa protein to the psbE site and a 70-kDa species to the petB site. Pea chloroplasts lack the corresponding editing site in psbE since T is already present in the DNA. Parallel in vitro analyses with tobacco and pea extracts revealed that the pea plant has no editing activity for psbE mRNAs and lacks the 56-kDa protein, whereas petB mRNAs are edited and the 70-kDa protein is also present. Therefore, coevolution of an editing site and its cognate trans-factor was demonstrated biochemically in psbE mRNA editing between tobacco and pea plants.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 8447-8457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert P. Igo ◽  
Setareh S. Palazzo ◽  
Moffett L. K. Burgess ◽  
Aswini K. Panigrahi ◽  
Kenneth Stuart

ABSTRACT RNA editing in Trypanosoma brucei inserts and deletes uridylates (U's) in mitochondrial pre-mRNAs under the direction of guide RNAs (gRNAs). We report here the development of a novel in vitro precleaved editing assay and its use to study the gRNA specificity of the U addition and RNA ligation steps in insertion RNA editing. The 5′ fragment of substrate RNA accumulated with the number of added U's specified by gRNA, and U addition products with more than the specified number of U's were rare. U addition up to the number specified occurred in the absence of ligation, but accumulation of U addition products was slowed. The 5′ fragments with the correct number of added U's were preferentially ligated, apparently by adenylylated RNA ligase since exogenously added ATP was not required and since ligation was eliminated by treatment with pyrophosphate. gRNA-specified U addition was apparent in the absence of ligation when the pre-mRNA immediately upstream of the editing site was single stranded and more so when it was base paired with gRNA. These results suggest that both the U addition and RNA ligation steps contributed to the precision of RNA editing.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie M. McAdams ◽  
Michelle L. Ammerman ◽  
Julee Nanduri ◽  
Kaylen Lott ◽  
John C. Fisk ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In kinetoplastid parasites, regulation of mitochondrial gene expression occurs posttranscriptionally via RNA stability and RNA editing. In addition to the 20S editosome that contains the enzymes required for RNA editing, a dynamic complex called the mitochondrial RNA binding 1 (MRB1) complex is also essential for editing. Trypanosoma brucei RGG3 (TbRGG3) was originally identified through its interaction with the guide RNA-associated proteins 1 and 2 (GAP1/2), components of the MRB1 complex. Both the arginine-glycine-rich character of TbRGG3, which suggests a function in RNA binding, and its interaction with MRB1 implicate TbRGG3 in mitochondrial gene regulation. Here, we report an in vitro and in vivo characterization of TbRGG3 function in T. brucei mitochondria. We show that in vitro TbRGG3 binds RNA with broad sequence specificity and has the capacity to modulate RNA-RNA interactions. In vivo , inducible RNA interference (RNAi) studies demonstrate that TbRGG3 is essential for proliferation of insect vector stage T. brucei . TbRGG3 ablation does not cause a defect in RNA editing but, rather, specifically affects the abundance of two preedited transcripts as well as their edited counterparts. Protein-protein interaction studies show that TbRGG3 associates with GAP1/2 apart from the remainder of the MRB1 complex, as well as with several non-MRB1 proteins that are required for mitochondrial RNA editing and/or stability. Together, these studies demonstrate that TbRGG3 is an essential mitochondrial gene regulatory factor that impacts the stabilities of specific RNAs.


2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 2437-2445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vadim S. Alatortsev ◽  
Jorge Cruz-Reyes ◽  
Alevtina G. Zhelonkina ◽  
Barbara Sollner-Webb

ABSTRACT RNA editing in Trypanosoma brucei is posttranscriptional uridylate removal/addition, generally at vast numbers of pre-mRNA sites, but to date, only single editing cycles have been examined in vitro. We here demonstrate achieving sequential cycles of U deletion in vitro, with editing products confirmed by sequence analysis. Notably, the subsequent editing cycle is much more efficient and occurs far more rapidly than single editing cycles; plus, it has different recognition requirements. This indicates that the editing complex acts in a concerted manner and does not dissociate from the RNA substrate between these cycles. Furthermore, the multicycle substrate exhibits editing that is unexpected from a strictly 3′-to-5′ progression, reminiscent of the unexpected editing that has been shown to occur frequently in T. brucei mRNAs edited in vivo. This unexpected editing is most likely due to alternate mRNA:guide RNA (gRNA) alignment forming a hyphenated anchor; its having only a 2-bp proximal duplex helps explain the prevalence of unexpected editing in vivo. Such unexpected editing was not previously reported in vitro, presumably because the common use of artificially tight mRNA:gRNA base pairing precludes alternate alignments. The multicycle editing and unexpected editing presented in this paper bring in vitro reactions closer to reproducing the in vivo editing process.


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 1567-1576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert P. Igo ◽  
Sobomabo D. Lawson ◽  
Kenneth Stuart

ABSTRACT RNA editing inserts and deletes uridylates (U's) in kinetoplastid mitochondrial pre-mRNAs by a series of enzymatic steps. Small guide RNAs (gRNAs) specify the edited sequence. Editing, though sometimes extensive, is precise. The effects of mutating pre-mRNA and gRNA sequences in, around, and upstream of the editing site on the specificity and efficiency of in vitro insertion editing were examined. U's could be added opposite guiding pyrimidines, but guiding purines, particularly A's, were required for efficient ligation. A base pair between mRNA and gRNA immediately upstream of the editing site was not required for insertion editing, although it greatly enhanced its efficiency and accuracy. In addition, a gRNA/mRNA duplex upstream of the editing site enhanced insertion editing when it was close to the editing site, but prevented cleavage, and hence editing, when immediately adjacent to the editing site. Thus, several aspects of mRNA-gRNA interaction, as well as gRNA base pairing with added U's, optimize editing efficiency, although they are not required for insertion editing.


2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo J. Domingo ◽  
Setareh S. Palazzo ◽  
Bingbing Wang ◽  
Brian Pannicucci ◽  
Reza Salavati ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Mitochondrial pre-mRNAs undergo posttranscriptional RNA editing as directed by small guide RNAs (gRNAs) to produce functional mRNAs in kinetoplastid protozoa. The pre-mRNAs and gRNAs are encoded in the maxicircle and minicircle components, respectively, of the kinetoplastid mitochondrial DNA (kDNA), and editing is catalyzed by a multienzyme protein complex. Trypanosoma evansi AnTat3/3, which lacks maxicircles but retains a single class of minicircles, and a dyskinetoplastic mutant of Trypanosoma brucei EATRO164, which is devoid of kDNA, were both shown to retain genes and proteins for the editing complex. The proteins are present in complexes that immunoprecipitate and sediment indistinguishably from wild-type complexes. The complexes catalyze precleaved insertion and deletion editing as well as full-round deletion editing in vitro. Thus, mutants which lack the natural substrates for RNA editing and all or most gRNAs retain editing complexes that contain the four primary catalytic activities of editing and function in editing, at least in vitro. Therefore neither pre-mRNA nor gRNA is required to form functional RNA-editing complexes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (12) ◽  
pp. 10329-10340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. Zimmer ◽  
Sarah M. McEvoy ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Jun Qu ◽  
Laurie K. Read

RNA turnover and RNA editing are essential for regulation of mitochondrial gene expression in Trypanosoma brucei. RNA turnover is controlled in part by RNA 3′ adenylation and uridylation status, with trans-acting factors also impacting RNA homeostasis. However, little is known about the mitochondrial degradation machinery or its regulation in T. brucei. We have identified a mitochondrial exoribonuclease, TbRND, whose expression is highly up-regulated in the insect proliferative stage of the parasite. TbRND shares sequence similarity with RNase D family enzymes but differs from all reported members of this family in possessing a CCHC zinc finger domain. In vitro, TbRND exhibits 3′ to 5′ exoribonuclease activity, with specificity toward uridine homopolymers, including the 3′ oligo(U) tails of guide RNAs (gRNAs) that provide the sequence information for RNA editing. Several lines of evidence generated from RNAi-mediated knockdown and overexpression cell lines indicate that TbRND functions in gRNA metabolism in vivo. First, TbRND depletion results in gRNA tails extended by 2–3 nucleotides on average. Second, overexpression of wild type but not catalytically inactive TbRND results in a substantial decrease in the total gRNA population and a consequent inhibition of RNA editing. The observed effects on the gRNA population are specific as rRNAs, which are also 3′-uridylated, are unaffected by TbRND depletion or overexpression. Finally, we show that gRNA binding proteins co-purify with TbRND. In summary, TbRND is a novel 3′ to 5′ exoribonuclease that appears to have evolved a function highly specific to the mitochondrion of trypanosomes.


2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (21) ◽  
pp. 7909-7919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean F. O'Hearn ◽  
Catherine E. Huang ◽  
Mike Hemann ◽  
Alevtina Zhelonkina ◽  
Barbara Sollner-Webb

ABSTRACT Maturation of Trypanosoma brucei mitochondrial mRNA involves massive posttranscriptional insertion and deletion of uridine residues. This RNA editing utilizes an enzymatic complex with seven major proteins, band I through band VII. We here use RNA interference (RNAi) to examine the band II and band V proteins. Band II is found essential for viability; it is needed to maintain the normal structure of the editing complex and to retain the band V ligase protein. Previously, band III was found essential for certain activities, including maintenance of the editing complex and retention of the band IV ligase protein. Thus, band II and band V form a protein pair with features analogous to the band III/band IV ligase pair. Since band V is specific for U insertion and since band IV is needed for U deletion, their parallel organization suggests that the editing complex has a pseudosymmetry. However, unlike the essential band IV ligase, RNAi to band V has only a morphological but no growth rate effect, suggesting that it is stimulatory but nonessential. Indeed, in vitro analysis of band V RNAi cell extract demonstrates that band IV can seal U insertion when band V is lacking. Thus, band IV ligase is the first activity of the basic editing complex shown able to serve in both forms of editing. Our studies also indicate that the U insertional portion may be less central in the editing complex than the corresponding U deletional portion.


1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 2567-2572 ◽  
Author(s):  
J R Sufrin ◽  
D Rattendi ◽  
A J Spiess ◽  
S Lane ◽  
C J Marasco ◽  
...  

Fifteen purine nucleosides and their O-acetylated ester derivatives were examined for in vitro antitrypanosomal activity against the LAB 110 EATRO isolate of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and two clinical isolates of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. Initial comparisons of activity were made for the LAB 110 EATRO isolate. Three nucleoside analogs exhibited no significant activity (50% inhibitory concentrations [IC50s] of > 100 microM), whether they were O acetylated or unacetylated; three nucleosides showed almost equal activity (IC50s of < 5 microM) for the parent compound and the O-acetylated derivative; nine nucleosides showed significantly improved activity (> or = 3-fold) upon O acetylation; of these nine analogs, six displayed activity at least 10-fold greater than that of their parent nucleosides. The most significant results were those for four apparently inactive compounds which, upon O acetylation, displayed IC50s of < or = 25 microM. When the series of compounds was tested against T. brucei rhodesiense isolates (KETRI 243 and KETRI 269), their antitrypanosomal effects were comparable to those observed for the EATRO 110 strain. Thus, our studies of purine nucleosides have determined that O acetylation consistently improved their in vitro antitrypanosomal activity. This observed phenomenon was independent of their cellular enzyme targets (i.e., S-adenosylmethionine, polyamine, or purine salvage pathways). On the basis of our results, the routine preparation of O-acetylated purine nucleosides for in vitro screening of antitrypanosomal activity is recommended, since O acetylation transformed several inactive nucleosides into compounds with significant activity, presumably by improving uptake characteristics. O-acetylated purine nucleosides may offer in vivo therapeutic advantages compared with their parent nucleosides, and this possibility should be considered in future evaluations of this structural class of trypanocides.


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