https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2019/NP/C8NP00092A

Marine natural products.

RNA metabolism, broadly defined as the compendium of all processes that involve RNA, including transcription, processing and modification of transcripts, translation, RNA degradation and its regulation, is the central and most evolutionarily conserved part of cell physiology. A comprehensive, genome-wide census of all enzymatic and non-enzymatic protein domains involved in RNA metabolism was conducted by using sequence profile analysis and structural comparisons. Proteins related to RNA metabolism comprise from 3 to 11% of the complete protein repertoire in bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes, with the greatest fraction seen in parasitic bacteria with small genomes. Approximately one-half of protein domains involved in RNA metabolism are present in most, if not all, species from all three primary kingdoms and are traceable to the last universal common ancestor (LUCA). The principal features of LUCA’s RNA metabolism system were reconstructed by parsimony-based evolutionary analysis of all relevant groups of orthologous proteins. This reconstruction shows that LUCA possessed not only the basal translation system, but also the principal forms of RNA modification, such as methylation, pseudouridylation and thiouridylation, as well as simple mechanisms for polyadenylation and RNA degradation. Some of these ancient domains form paralogous groups whose evolution can be traced back in time beyond LUCA, towards low-specificity proteins, which probably functioned as cofactors for ribozymes within the RNA world framework. The main lineage-specific innovations of RNA metabolism systems were identified. The most notable phase of innovation in RNA metabolism coincides with the advent of eukaryotes and was brought about by the merge of the archaeal and bacterial systems via mitochondrial endosymbiosis, but also involved emergence of several new, eukaryote-specific RNA-binding domains. Subsequent, vast expansions of these domains mark the origin of alternative splicing in animals and probably in plants. In addition to the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of RNA metabolism, this analysis produced numerous functional predictions, e.g. of previously undetected enzymes of RNA modification.

Comparative genomics and evolution of proteins involved in RNA metabolism

Mitochondria are eukaryotic organelles that generate most of the energy in the cell by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Each mitochondrion contains multiple copies of a closed circular double-stranded DNA genome (mtDNA). Human (mammalian) mtDNA encodes 13 essential subunits of the inner membrane complex responsible for OXPHOS. These mRNAs are translated by the mitochondrial protein synthesis machinery, which uses the 22 species of mitochondrial tRNAs (mt tRNAs) encoded by mtDNA. The unique structural features of mt tRNAs distinguish them from cytoplasmic tRNAs bearing the canonical cloverleaf structure. The genes encoding mt tRNAs are highly susceptible to point mutations, which are a primary cause of mitochondrial dysfunction and are associated with a wide range of pathologies. A large number of nuclear factors involved in the biogenesis and function of mt tRNAs have been identified and characterized, including processing endonucleases, tRNA-modifying enzymes, and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. These nuclear factors are also targets of pathogenic mutations linked to various diseases, indicating the functional importance of mt tRNAs for mitochondrial activity.

Human mitochondrial tRNAs: biogenesis, function, structural aspects, and diseases.

Complete nucleotide sequences of all three poliovirus serotype genomes. Implication for genetic relationship, gene function and antigenic determinants.

Transfer RNA (tRNA) from all organisms on this planet contains modified nucleosides, which are derivatives of the four major nucleosides. tRNA from Escherichia coli/Salmonella enterica contains 31 different modified nucleosides, which are all, except for one (Queuosine[Q]), synthesized on an oligonucleotide precursor, which through specific enzymes later matures into tRNA. The corresponding structural genes for these enzymes are found in mono- and polycistronic operons, the latter of which have a complex transcription and translation pattern. The syntheses of some of them (e.g.,several methylated derivatives) are catalyzed by one enzyme, which is position and base specific, but synthesis of some have a very complex biosynthetic pathway involving several enzymes (e.g., 2-thiouridines, N6-threonyladenosine [t6A],and Q). Several of the modified nucleosides are essential for viability (e.g.,lysidin, t6A, 1-methylguanosine), whereas deficiency in others induces severe growth defects. However, some have no or only a small effect on growth at laboratory conditions. Modified nucleosides that are present in the anticodon loop or stem have a fundamental influence on the efficiency of charging the tRNA, reading cognate codons, and preventing missense and frameshift errors. Those, which are present in the body of the tRNA, have a primarily stabilizing effect on the tRNA. Thus, the ubiquitouspresence of these modified nucleosides plays a pivotal role in the function of the tRNA by their influence on the stability and activity of the tRNA.

Transfer RNA Modification

Novel mechanism of post-transcriptional modification of tRNA. Insertion of bases of Q precursors into tRNA by a specific tRNA transglycosylase reaction.

One of the E. coli mutants selected for deficiency of modified nucleoside Q was found to contain an analogue of Q and normal guanosine in place of Q. The analogue of Q, designated as preQo, was isolated on a large scale from purified tRNATyr containing preQo. The structure of preQo was determined to be 7-(cyano)-7-deazaguanosine by comparison of its ultraviolet absorption spectra, thin-layer chromatographic mobility and mass spectrum with those of synthetic material.

Isolation of Q nucleoside precursor present in tRNA of an E. coli mutant and its characterization as 7-(cyano)-7-deazaguanosine.

The putative genes for tRNAGAUAsp(C), tRNAGGAGly(G) and tRNAGAGGlu are in a cluster on the rat chromosome and are present exclusively in a 3.3 kb region cleaved with a restriction endonuclease EcoRI. The cluster reiterates about 10 times on the haploid DNA. Four lambda clones each containing an independent repeating unit were isolated from a rat gene library. The studies on the cloned DNA revealed that the length of the repeating unit including the 3.3 kb EcoRI fragment was at least 13.5 kb. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 3.3 kb DNA in the isolated clones showed sequence variations among the repeating units and incomplete genes for tRNAGly and tRNAGlu within the clusters.

Characterization of a rat tRNA gene cluster containing the genes for tRNAAsp, tRNAGly and tRNAGlu, and pseudogenes.

Novel mechanism of post-transcriptional modification of tRNA: insertion of base of Q precursor into tRNA by tRNA transglycosidase reaction

Nearly full-sized double-stranded cDNA was prepared from virion RNA of poliovirus Sabin 1 (LSc, 2ab) strain using reverse transcriptase. The double-stranded cDNa was cleaved at four and two sites by the restriction endonucleases Bam HI and Hind III, respectively. Based on the cleavage patterns of double-stranded cDNA into segments of various lengths, each of which had the sequence corresponding to that of the 3'-end of the viral genome, the location of each restriction fragment was determined. The cDNA fragments were cloned with pBR322 as a vector and some of their nucleotide sequences were determined. The DNA sequence indicated that the restriction map obtained was consistent with the known arrangement of viral RNA fragments (1-3). Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the cloned Hind III (460 bases) and Pst I (434 bases) fragments with those of the corresponding region of Mahoney type 1 genome (3) revealed 12 point-mutation sites.

Shigeru Noguchi

Papers

Novel mechanism of post-transcriptional modification of tRNA. Insertion of bases of Q precursors into tRNA by a specific tRNA transglycosylase reaction.

Isolation of Q nucleoside precursor present in tRNA of an E. coli mutant and its characterization as 7-(cyano)-7-deazaguanosine.

Characterization of a rat tRNA gene cluster containing the genes for tRNAAsp, tRNAGly and tRNAGlu, and pseudogenes.

Novel mechanism of post-transcriptional modification of tRNA: insertion of base of Q precursor into tRNA by tRNA transglycosidase reaction

Restriction map of double-stranded DNA copy synthesized from poliovirus Sabin 1 RNA.