Under certain circumstances, any of the three termination codons can be read through by a near-cognate tRNA; i.e., a tRNA whose two out of three anticodon nucleotides base pair with those of the stop codon. Unless programed to synthetize C-terminally extended protein variants with expanded physiological roles, readthrough represents an undesirable translational error. On the other side of a coin, a significant number of human genetic diseases is associated with the introduction of nonsense mutations (premature termination codons [PTCs]) into coding sequences, where stopping is not desirable. Here, the tRNA's ability to induce readthrough opens up the intriguing possibility of mitigating the deleterious effects of PTCs on human health. In yeast, the UGA and UAR stop codons were described to be read through by four readthrough-inducing rti-tRNAs-tRNATrp and tRNACys, and tRNATyr and tRNAGln, respectively. The readthrough-inducing potential of tRNATrp and tRNATyr was also observed in human cell lines. Here, we investigated the readthrough-inducing potential of human tRNACys in the HEK293T cell line. The tRNACys family consists of two isoacceptors, one with ACA and the other with GCA anticodons. We selected nine representative tRNACys isodecoders (differing in primary sequence and expression level) and tested them using dual luciferase reporter assays. We found that at least two tRNACys can significantly elevate UGA readthrough when overexpressed. This indicates a mechanistically conserved nature of rti-tRNAs between yeast and human, supporting the idea that they could be used in the PTC-associated RNA therapies.

• MeSH
• antikodon MeSH
• cystein * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• HEK293 buňky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nesmyslný kodon genetika   MeSH
• proteosyntéza MeSH
• RNA transferová Cys metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA transferová Trp metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA transferová Tyr MeSH
• RNA transferová genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae * genetika   MeSH
• terminační kodon genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Fe/S clusters are part of the active site of many enzymes and are essential for cell viability. In eukaryotes the cysteine desulfurase Nfs (IscS) donates the sulfur during Fe/S cluster assembly and was thought sufficient for this reaction. Moreover, Nfs is indispensable for tRNA thiolation, a modification generally required for tRNA function and protein synthesis. Recently, Isd11 was discovered as an integral part of the Nfs activity at an early step of Fe/S cluster assembly. Here we show, using a combination of genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches, that Isd11, in line with its strong association with Nfs, is localized in the mitochondrion of T. brucei. In addition to its involvement in Fe/S assembly, Isd11 also partakes in both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNA thiolation, whereas Mtu1, another protein proposed to collaborate with Nfs in tRNA thiolation, is required for this process solely within the mitochondrion. Taken together these data place Isd11 at the center of these sulfur transactions and raises the possibility of a connection between Fe/S metabolism and protein synthesis, helping integrate two seemingly unrelated pathways.

• MeSH
• akonitáthydratasa metabolismus   MeSH
• cytosol metabolismus   MeSH
• fenotyp MeSH
• fumarasa metabolismus   MeSH
• membránový potenciál mitochondrií MeSH
• mitochondriální proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• mitochondrie metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny obsahující železo a síru metabolismus   MeSH
• protozoální proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA interference MeSH
• RNA protozoální metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA transferová metabolismus   MeSH
• stabilita proteinů MeSH
• sulfhydrylové sloučeniny metabolismus   MeSH
• Trypanosoma brucei brucei cytologie   enzymologie   růst a vývoj   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

Nfs-like proteins have cysteine desulfurase (CysD) activity, which removes sulfur (S) from cysteine, and provides S for iron-sulfur cluster assembly and the thiolation of tRNAs. These proteins also have selenocysteine lyase activity in vitro, and cleave selenocysteine into alanine and elemental selenium (Se). It was shown previously that the Nfs-like protein called Nfs from the parasitic protist Trypanosoma brucei is a genuine CysD. A second Nfs-like protein is encoded in the nuclear genome of T. brucei. We called this protein selenocysteine lyase (SCL) because phylogenetic analysis reveals that it is monophyletic with known eukaryotic selenocysteine lyases. The Nfs protein is located in the mitochondrion, whereas the SCL protein seems to be present in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Unexpectedly, downregulation of either Nfs or SCL protein leads to a dramatic decrease in both CysD and selenocysteine lyase activities concurrently in the mitochondrion and the cytosolic fractions. Because loss of Nfs causes a growth phenotype but loss of SCL does not, we propose that Nfs can fully complement SCL, whereas SCL can only partially replace Nfs under our growth conditions.

• MeSH
• cytosol enzymologie   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• kompartmentace buňky MeSH
• lyasy štěpící vazby C-S genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• lyasy antagonisté a inhibitory   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• messenger RNA genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• mitochondrie enzymologie   MeSH
• protozoální geny MeSH
• protozoální proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA interference MeSH
• RNA protozoální genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Trypanosoma brucei brucei enzymologie   genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Trypanosoma brucei has a complex life cycle during which its single mitochondrion is subjected to major metabolic and morphological changes. While the procyclic stage (PS) of the insect vector contains a large and reticulated mitochondrion, its counterpart in the bloodstream stage (BS) parasitizing mammals is highly reduced and seems to be devoid of most functions. We show here that key Fe-S cluster assembly proteins are still present and active in this organelle and that produced clusters are incorporated into overexpressed enzymes. Importantly, the cysteine desulfurase Nfs, equipped with the nuclear localization signal, was detected in the nucleolus of both T. brucei life stages. The scaffold protein Isu, an interacting partner of Nfs, was also found to have a dual localization in the mitochondrion and the nucleolus, while frataxin and both ferredoxins are confined to the mitochondrion. Moreover, upon depletion of Isu, cytosolic tRNA thiolation dropped in the PS but not BS parasites.

• MeSH
• aktivní transport - buněčné jádro MeSH
• buněčné jádro metabolismus   MeSH
• ferredoxiny metabolismus   MeSH
• jaderné lokalizační signály MeSH
• lyasy štěpící vazby C-S chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• mitochondriální proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• mitochondrie metabolismus   MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• multimerizace proteinu MeSH
• proteiny asociované s jadernou matrix chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny vázající železo metabolismus   MeSH
• protozoální proteiny chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
• Trypanosoma brucei brucei enzymologie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH