Genetic selection for mutations that reduce or abolish ribosomal recognition of the HIS4 translational initiator region

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 2955-2963 ◽  
Author(s):  
T F Donahue ◽  
A M Cigan

A unique genetic selection was devised at the HIS4 locus to address the mechanism of translation initiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to probe sequence requirements at the normal translational initiator region that might participate in ribosomal recognition of the AUG start codon. The first AUG codon at the 5' end of the HIS4 message serves as the start site for translation, and the -3 and +4 nucleotide positions flanking this AUG (AXXAUGG) correspond to a eucaryotic consensus start region. Despite this similarity, direct selection for mutations that reduce or abolish ribosomal recognition of this region does not provide any insight into the functional nature of flanking nucleotides. The only mutations identified that affected recognition of this region were alterations in the AUG start codon. Among 150 spontaneous isolates, 26 were shown to contain mutations in the AUG start codon, including all +1 changes (CUG, GUG, and UUG), all +3 changes (AUA, AUC, and AUU), and one +2 change (ACG). These seven mutations of the AUG start codon, as well as AAG and AGG constructed in vitro, were assayed for their ability to support HIS4 expression. No codon other than AUG is physiologically relevant to translation initiation at HIS4 as determined by growth tests and quantitated in his4-lacZ fusion strains. These data and analysis of other his4 alleles are consistent with a mechanism of initiation at HIS4 as proposed in the scanning model whereby the first AUG codon nearest the 5' end of the message serves as the start site for translation and points to the AUG codon in S. cerevisiae as an important component for ribosomal recognition of the initiator region.

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 2955-2963 ◽  
Author(s):  
T F Donahue ◽  
A M Cigan

A unique genetic selection was devised at the HIS4 locus to address the mechanism of translation initiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to probe sequence requirements at the normal translational initiator region that might participate in ribosomal recognition of the AUG start codon. The first AUG codon at the 5' end of the HIS4 message serves as the start site for translation, and the -3 and +4 nucleotide positions flanking this AUG (AXXAUGG) correspond to a eucaryotic consensus start region. Despite this similarity, direct selection for mutations that reduce or abolish ribosomal recognition of this region does not provide any insight into the functional nature of flanking nucleotides. The only mutations identified that affected recognition of this region were alterations in the AUG start codon. Among 150 spontaneous isolates, 26 were shown to contain mutations in the AUG start codon, including all +1 changes (CUG, GUG, and UUG), all +3 changes (AUA, AUC, and AUU), and one +2 change (ACG). These seven mutations of the AUG start codon, as well as AAG and AGG constructed in vitro, were assayed for their ability to support HIS4 expression. No codon other than AUG is physiologically relevant to translation initiation at HIS4 as determined by growth tests and quantitated in his4-lacZ fusion strains. These data and analysis of other his4 alleles are consistent with a mechanism of initiation at HIS4 as proposed in the scanning model whereby the first AUG codon nearest the 5' end of the message serves as the start site for translation and points to the AUG codon in S. cerevisiae as an important component for ribosomal recognition of the initiator region.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 2149-2153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Feng ◽  
L E Gunter ◽  
E L Organ ◽  
D R Cavener

The importance to in vivo translation of sequences immediately upstream of the Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) start codon was examined at two developmental stages. Mutations were introduced into the Adh gene in vitro, and the mutant gene was inserted into the genome via germ line transformation. An A-to-T substitution at the -3 position did not affect relative translation rates of the ADH protein at the second-instar larval stage but resulted in a 2.4-fold drop in translation of ADH at the adult stage. A second mutant gene, containing five mutations in the region -1 to -9, was designed to completely block translation initiation. However, transformant lines bearing these mutations still exhibit detectable ADH, albeit at substantially reduced levels. The average fold reduction at the second-instar larval stage was 5.9, while at the adult stage a 12.5-fold reduction was observed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
pp. 5877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eloisa Romano ◽  
Irene Rosa ◽  
Bianca Saveria Fioretto ◽  
Elena Lucattelli ◽  
Marco Innocenti ◽  
...  

Telocytes (TCs), commonly referred to as TCs/CD34+ stromal cells, are a peculiar type of interstitial cells with distinctive morphologic traits that are supposed to exert several biological functions, including tissue homeostasis regulation, cell-to-cell signaling, immune surveillance, and reparative/regenerative effects. At present, the majority of studies investigating these cells are mainly descriptive and focus only on their morphology, with a consequent paucity of functional data. To gain relevant insight into the possible functions of TCs, in vitro analyses are clearly required, but currently, the protocols for TC isolation are only at the early stages and not fully standardized. In the present in vitro study, we describe a novel methodology for the purification of human primary skin TCs through a two-step immunomagnetic microbead-based cell separation (i.e., negative selection for CD31 followed by positive selection for CD34) capable of discriminating these cells from other connective tissue-resident cells on the basis of their different immunophenotypic features. Our experiments clearly demonstrated that the proposed method allows a selective purification of cells exhibiting the peculiar TC morphology. Isolated TCs displayed very long cytoplasmic extensions with a moniliform silhouette (telopodes) and presented an immunophenotypic profile (CD31−/CD34+/PDGFRα+/vimentin+) that unequivocally differentiates them from endothelial cells (CD31+/CD34+/PDGFRα−/vimentin+) and fibroblasts (CD31−/CD34−/PDGFRα+/vimentin+). This novel methodology for the isolation of TCs lays the groundwork for further research aimed at elucidating their functional properties and possible translational applications, especially in the field of regenerative medicine.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (18) ◽  
pp. 10280-10296
Author(s):  
Anil Thakur ◽  
Swati Gaikwad ◽  
Anil K Vijjamarri ◽  
Alan G Hinnebusch

Abstract In translation initiation, AUG recognition triggers rearrangement of the 48S preinitiation complex (PIC) from an open conformation to a closed state with more tightly-bound Met-tRNAi. Cryo-EM structures have revealed interactions unique to the closed complex between arginines R55/R57 of eIF2α with mRNA, including the −3 nucleotide of the ‘Kozak’ context. We found that R55/R57 substitutions reduced recognition of a UUG start codon at HIS4 in Sui− cells (Ssu− phenotype); and in vitro, R55G-R57E accelerated dissociation of the eIF2·GTP·Met-tRNAi ternary complex (TC) from reconstituted PICs with a UUG start codon, indicating destabilization of the closed complex. R55/R57 substitutions also decreased usage of poor-context AUGs in SUI1 and GCN4 mRNAs in vivo. In contrast, eIF2α-R53 interacts with the rRNA backbone only in the open complex, and the R53E substitution enhanced initiation at a UUG codon (Sui− phenotype) and poor-context AUGs, while reducing the rate of TC loading (Gcd− phenotype) in vivo. Consistently, R53E slowed TC binding to the PIC while decreasing TC dissociation at UUG codons in vitro, indicating destabilization of the open complex. Thus, distinct interactions of eIF2α with rRNA or mRNA stabilize first the open, and then closed, conformation of the PIC to influence the accuracy of initiation in vivo.


2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 2742-2749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideo Yonezawa ◽  
Howard K. Kuramitsu ◽  
Shu-ichi Nakayama ◽  
Jiro Mitobe ◽  
Mizuho Motegi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The two-component lantibiotic Smb is produced by Streptococcus mutans GS5. In the present study, we identified seven strains of S. mutans containing the smb gene cluster. These strains could be classified into high- and low-level Smb producers relative to the levels of Smb production by indicator strains in vitro. This classification was dependent upon the transcription levels of the structural smbA and smbB genes. Sequence analysis upstream of smbA in the high- and low-level Smb-producing strains revealed differences at nucleotide position −46 relative to the smbA start codon. Interestingly, the transcription start site was present upstream of the point mutation, indicating that both groups of strains have the same promoter constructs and that the differential expression of smbA and smbB mRNA occurred subsequent to transcription initiation. In addition, smbA::lacZ fusion expression was higher when it was regulated by the sequences of strains with high-level Smb activity than when it was regulated by the comparable region from strains with low-level Smb activity. Taken together, we conclude that high- or low-level Smb expression is dependent on the presence of a G or a T nucleotide at position −46 relative to the smbA translational start site in S. mutans Smb producers.


eLife ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyothsna Visweswaraiah ◽  
Yvette Pittman ◽  
Thomas E Dever ◽  
Alan G Hinnebusch

The eukaryotic 43S pre-initiation complex bearing tRNAiMet scans the mRNA leader for an AUG start codon in favorable context. Structural analyses revealed that the β-hairpin of 40S protein Rps5/uS7 protrudes into the 40S mRNA exit-channel, contacting the eIF2∙GTP∙Met-tRNAi ternary complex (TC) and mRNA context nucleotides; but its importance in AUG selection was unknown. We identified substitutions in β-strand-1 and C-terminal residues of yeast Rps5 that reduced bulk initiation, conferred ‘leaky-scanning’ of AUGs; and lowered initiation fidelity by exacerbating the effect of poor context of the eIF1 AUG codon to reduce eIF1 abundance. Consistently, the β-strand-1 substitution greatly destabilized the ‘PIN’ conformation of TC binding to reconstituted 43S·mRNA complexes in vitro. Other substitutions in β-hairpin loop residues increased initiation fidelity and destabilized PIN at UUG, but not AUG start codons. We conclude that the Rps5 β-hairpin is as crucial as soluble initiation factors for efficient and accurate start codon recognition.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 2149-2153
Author(s):  
Y Feng ◽  
L E Gunter ◽  
E L Organ ◽  
D R Cavener

The importance to in vivo translation of sequences immediately upstream of the Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) start codon was examined at two developmental stages. Mutations were introduced into the Adh gene in vitro, and the mutant gene was inserted into the genome via germ line transformation. An A-to-T substitution at the -3 position did not affect relative translation rates of the ADH protein at the second-instar larval stage but resulted in a 2.4-fold drop in translation of ADH at the adult stage. A second mutant gene, containing five mutations in the region -1 to -9, was designed to completely block translation initiation. However, transformant lines bearing these mutations still exhibit detectable ADH, albeit at substantially reduced levels. The average fold reduction at the second-instar larval stage was 5.9, while at the adult stage a 12.5-fold reduction was observed.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Trulley ◽  
Goda Snieckute ◽  
Dorte Bekker-Jensen ◽  
Manoj B. Menon ◽  
Robert Freund ◽  
...  

AbstractShaping of the proteome by alternative translation is an important mechanism of post-transcriptional gene regulation. It can lead to the expression of multiple protein isoforms originating from the same mRNA. Here we show that a novel, abundant and long isoform of the stress/p38MAPK-activated kinase MK2, a key regulator of transcription, migration, death signaling and post-transcriptional gene regulation, is constitutively translated from an alternative CUG translation initiation start site located in the 5′UTR of its mRNA. GC-rich sequences and putative G-quadruplex structures influence the usage of that codon as a translation initiation start site and the RNA helicase eIF4A1 is needed to ensure alternative isoform translation. We recapitulated the usage of the alternative start codon and determined the molecular properties of the short and a long MK2 isoforms. Phenotypically, only the short isoform phosphorylated Hsp27, supported migration and stress-induced immediate early gene (IEG) expression. Interaction profiling by quantitative mass-spectrometry revealed short isoform-specific binding partners that were associated with migration. In contrast, the long isoform contains additional putative phosphorylation sites in its unique N-terminus. In sum, our data reveal a longer and previously non-described isoform of MK2 with distinct physiological properties originating from alternative translation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 289 (3) ◽  
pp. 1704-1722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fujun Zhou ◽  
Sarah E. Walker ◽  
Sarah F. Mitchell ◽  
Jon R. Lorsch ◽  
Alan G. Hinnebusch

eIF4B has been implicated in attachment of the 43 S preinitiation complex (PIC) to mRNAs and scanning to the start codon. We recently determined that the internal seven repeats (of ∼26 amino acids each) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae eIF4B (yeIF4B) compose the region most critically required to enhance mRNA recruitment by 43 S PICs in vitro and stimulate general translation initiation in yeast. Moreover, although the N-terminal domain (NTD) of yeIF4B contributes to these activities, the RNA recognition motif is dispensable. We have now determined that only two of the seven internal repeats are sufficient for wild-type (WT) yeIF4B function in vivo when all other domains are intact. However, three or more repeats are needed in the absence of the NTD or when the functions of eIF4F components are compromised. We corroborated these observations in the reconstituted system by demonstrating that yeIF4B variants with only one or two repeats display substantial activity in promoting mRNA recruitment by the PIC, whereas additional repeats are required at lower levels of eIF4A or when the NTD is missing. These findings indicate functional overlap among the 7-repeats and NTD domains of yeIF4B and eIF4A in mRNA recruitment. Interestingly, only three highly conserved positions in the 26-amino acid repeat are essential for function in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we identified conserved motifs in the NTD and demonstrate functional overlap of two such motifs. These results provide a comprehensive description of the critical sequence elements in yeIF4B that support eIF4F function in mRNA recruitment by the PIC.


2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (6) ◽  
pp. 1801-1805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitta Kurenbach ◽  
Dagmar Grothe ◽  
María Eugenia Farías ◽  
Ulrich Szewzyk ◽  
Elisabeth Grohmann

ABSTRACT The tra genes orf1 to orf11 of pIP501 were shown to be transcribed as a single operon of 11.3 kb in Enterococcus faecalis by reverse transcription-PCR. The transcriptional start site of the tra mRNA was mapped at 110 bp upstream from the predicted TTG start codon of the first gene of the operon, the traA relaxase. The TraA protein (660 amino acids) and a C-terminally truncated version of the TraA protein (293 amino acids) were purified as fusions with glutathione S-transferase. oriT cleavage activity of both TraA proteins was demonstrated in vitro on supercoiled plasmid pVA2241 DNA containing oriTpIP501 . The activity of the DNA relaxase TraA is strictly dependent on the presence of Mg2+ or Mn2+ and is highest at temperatures of between 42 and 45°C.


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