Abstract:Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARS) are modular enzymes that aminoacylate transfer RNAs (tRNA) for their use by the ribosome during protein synthesis. ARS are essential and universal components of the genetic code that were almost completely established before the appearance of the last common ancestor of all living species. This long evolutionary history explains the growing number of functions being discovered for ARS, and for ARS homologues, beyond their canonical role in gene translation. Here we present a pr… Show more
“…Oxygen consumption was measured with an Oxygraph-2 k (Oroboros) as described (44). Complex I respiratory control ratios (RCR) were calculated using the oxygen consumption in the presence and absence of ADP (GM D and GM).…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…To achieve this goal, and avoid the drawbacks of manipulating mtDNA-encoded tRNAs, we have decided to limit the function of a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial aaRS, seryl-tRNA synthetase 2 (DmSRS2) (Figure 1), by means of an RNA interference (RNAi) approach. We have previously reported the identification of SRS2 in D. melanogaster , and its preliminary comparison with a paralogous protein present in insects (SLIMP) (44). Figure 1.Animal serylation system.…”
The translation of genes encoded in the mitochondrial genome requires specific machinery that functions in the organelle. Among the many mutations linked to human disease that affect mitochondrial translation, several are localized to nuclear genes coding for mitochondrial aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetases. The molecular significance of these mutations is poorly understood, but it is expected to be similar to that of the mutations affecting mitochondrial transfer RNAs. To better understand the molecular features of diseases caused by these mutations, and to improve their diagnosis and therapeutics, we have constructed a Drosophila melanogaster model disrupting the mitochondrial seryl-tRNA synthetase by RNA interference. At the molecular level, the knockdown generates a reduction in transfer RNA serylation, which correlates with the severity of the phenotype observed. The silencing compromises viability, longevity, motility and tissue development. At the cellular level, the knockdown alters mitochondrial morphology, biogenesis and function, and induces lactic acidosis and reactive oxygen species accumulation. We report that administration of antioxidant compounds has a palliative effect of some of these phenotypes. In conclusion, the fly model generated in this work reproduces typical characteristics of pathologies caused by mutations in the mitochondrial aminoacylation system, and can be useful to assess therapeutic approaches.
“…Oxygen consumption was measured with an Oxygraph-2 k (Oroboros) as described (44). Complex I respiratory control ratios (RCR) were calculated using the oxygen consumption in the presence and absence of ADP (GM D and GM).…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…To achieve this goal, and avoid the drawbacks of manipulating mtDNA-encoded tRNAs, we have decided to limit the function of a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial aaRS, seryl-tRNA synthetase 2 (DmSRS2) (Figure 1), by means of an RNA interference (RNAi) approach. We have previously reported the identification of SRS2 in D. melanogaster , and its preliminary comparison with a paralogous protein present in insects (SLIMP) (44). Figure 1.Animal serylation system.…”
The translation of genes encoded in the mitochondrial genome requires specific machinery that functions in the organelle. Among the many mutations linked to human disease that affect mitochondrial translation, several are localized to nuclear genes coding for mitochondrial aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetases. The molecular significance of these mutations is poorly understood, but it is expected to be similar to that of the mutations affecting mitochondrial transfer RNAs. To better understand the molecular features of diseases caused by these mutations, and to improve their diagnosis and therapeutics, we have constructed a Drosophila melanogaster model disrupting the mitochondrial seryl-tRNA synthetase by RNA interference. At the molecular level, the knockdown generates a reduction in transfer RNA serylation, which correlates with the severity of the phenotype observed. The silencing compromises viability, longevity, motility and tissue development. At the cellular level, the knockdown alters mitochondrial morphology, biogenesis and function, and induces lactic acidosis and reactive oxygen species accumulation. We report that administration of antioxidant compounds has a palliative effect of some of these phenotypes. In conclusion, the fly model generated in this work reproduces typical characteristics of pathologies caused by mutations in the mitochondrial aminoacylation system, and can be useful to assess therapeutic approaches.
“…It has been shown that mitochondria may contain aaRS-like proteins that play crucial roles in mitochondria metabolism. For example, a seryl-tRNA synthetase-like protein is found in mitochondria from insects, the deletion of which causes alterations in mitochondrial structure, function, and biogenesis without connection to tRNA Ser aminoacylation (46). Similarly, the catalytically inactive splicing variant of ThrRS identified here may have some non-canonical function besides tRNA Thr aminoacylation, and this needs to be explored functionally.…”
Section: Human Mitochondrial Thrrs Misactivates Ser and Mainly Uses Tmentioning
Mitochondria require all translational components, including aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), to complete organelle protein synthesis. Some aaRS mutations cause mitochondrial disorders, including human mitochondrial threonyl-tRNA synthetase (hmtThrRS) (encoded by TARS2), the P282L mutation of which causes mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. However, its catalytic and structural consequences remain unclear. Herein, we cloned TARS2 and purified the wild-type and P282L mutant hmtThrRS. hmtThrRS misactivates non-cognate Ser and uses post-transfer editing to clear erroneously synthesized products. In vitro and in vivo analyses revealed that the mutation induces a decrease in Thr activation, aminoacylation, and proofreading activities and a change in the protein structure and/or stability, which might cause reduced catalytic efficiency. We also identified a splicing variant of TARS2 mRNA lacking exons 8 and 9, the protein product of which is targeted into mitochondria. In HEK293T cells, the variant does not dimerize and cannot complement the ThrRS knock-out strain in yeast, suggesting that the truncated protein is inactive and might have a noncanonical function, as observed for other aaRS fragments. The present study describes the aminoacylation and editing properties of hmtThrRS, clarifies the molecular consequences of the P282L mutation, and shows that the yeast ThrRS-deletion model is suitable to test pathology-associated point mutations or alternative splicing variants of mammalian aaRS mRNAs.Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) 4 supply the ribosome with aminoacyl-tRNA substrates for protein synthesis (1, 2). This process starts with amino acid activation by condensation with ATP to form the aminoacyl adenylate aa-AMP and pyrophosphate. The activated amino acid then reacts with the 3Ј-end of the cognate tRNA to yield the aminoacyl-tRNA (aatRNA), which is transferred by EF-Tu to the protein biosynthesis machinery as a building block. Highly accurate protein synthesis is indispensable for cell growth. To maintain fidelity during protein synthesis, aaRS needs to select the correct amino acid and tRNA substrates from a large number of structurally similar molecules in the cells. The specificity of aaRS is greatly challenged by the presence of the 20 amino acids in which the physicochemical properties are sometimes very similar and by non-proteogenous amino acids and diverse metabolites produced by cell metabolism. aaRSs that do not show an overall selectivity above 1 in 3000 are predicted to require proofreading (editing) activity to maintain sufficient accuracy during aa-tRNA synthesis (3). In fact, editing activity has evolved in half of the currently identified aaRS to remove aberrantly produced aa-AMP (pretransfer editing) and/or aa-tRNA (posttransfer editing) (4). tRNA mischarging may be toxic and deleterious for cells. Even a slight decrease in aminoacylation accuracy could cause an intracellular accumulation of misfolded proteins and up-regulation of cytoplasmic protein chaperones in neurons, leading to severe...
“…The third SerRS paralogue is the result of mitochondrial SerRS gene duplication and the protein -called SLIMP (seryl-tRNA synthetase-like insect mitochondrial protein) has no catalytic activity. [39] SLIMP localizes to the mitochondria, and it is essential for the proper mitochondrial function and morphogenesis. SLIMP is an example of an aaRSlike protein that has acquired a new role, similar to the secondary regulatory roles of the metazoan aaRS.…”
Abstract:For a long time seryl-tRNA synthetases (SerRSs) stood as an archetypal, canonical aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS), exhibiting only basic tRNA aminoacylation activity and with no moonlighting functions beyond protein biosynthesis. The picture has changed substantially in recent years after the discovery that SerRSs play an important role in antibiotic production and resistance and act as a regulatory factor in vascular development, as well as after the discovery of mitochondrial morphogenesis factor homologous to SerRS in insects. In this review we summarize the recent research results from our laboratory, which advance the understanding of seryl-tRNA synthetases and further paint the dynamic picture of unexpected SerRS activities. SerRS from archaeon Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus was shown to interact with the large ribosomal subunit and it was postulated to contribute to a more efficient translation by the"tRNA channeling" hypothesis. Discovery of the atypical SerRS in a small number of methanogenic archaea led to the discovery of a new family of enzymes in numerous bacteria -amino acid:[carrier protein] ligases (aa:CP ligases). These SerRS homologues resigned tRNA aminoacylation activity, and instead adopted carrier proteins as the acceptors of activated amino acids. The crystal structure of the aa:CP ligase complex with the carrier protein revealed that the interactions between two macromolecules are incomparable to tRNA binding by the aaRS and consequently represent a true evolutionary invention. Kinetic investigations of SerRSs and the accuracy of amino acid selection revealed that SerRSs possess pre-transfer proofreading activity, challenging the widely accepted presumption that hydrolytic proofreading activity must reside in an additional, separate editing domain, not present in SerRSs. Finally, the plant tRNA serylation system is discussed, which is particularly interesting due to the fact that protein biosynthesis takes place in three cellular compartments: cytosol, mitochondria and chloroplasts. Plant cytosolic SerRSs showed broad tRNA Ser specificity and flexibility, unlike SerRSs from other organisms. High fidelity of SerRS dually targeted to mitochondria and chloroplasts indicated its importance in plant organellar quality control.
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