Toxic dipeptide-repeat (DPR) proteins are produced from expanded G4C2 repeats in the C9ORF72 gene, the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Two DPR proteins, poly-PR and poly-GR, repress cellular translation but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here we show that poly-PR and poly-GR of ≥20 repeats inhibit the ribosome's peptidyl-transferase activity at nanomolar concentrations, comparable to specific translation inhibitors. High-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) reveals that poly-PR and poly-GR block the polypeptide tunnel of the ribosome, extending into the peptidyl-transferase center (PTC). Consistent with these findings, the macrolide erythromycin, which binds in the tunnel, competes with poly-PR and restores peptidyl-transferase activity. Our results demonstrate that strong and specific binding of poly-PR and poly-GR in the ribosomal tunnel blocks translation, revealing the structural basis of their toxicity in C9ORF72-ALS/FTD.

• MeSH
• amyotrofická laterální skleróza * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• dipeptidy metabolismus   MeSH
• elektronová kryomikroskopie MeSH
• frontotemporální demence * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• protein C9orf72 genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• ribozomy metabolismus   MeSH
• transferasy MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Frameshifting of mRNA during translation provides a strategy to expand the coding repertoire of cells and viruses. How and where in the elongation cycle +1-frameshifting occurs remains poorly understood. We describe seven ~3.5-Å-resolution cryo-EM structures of 70S ribosome complexes, allowing visualization of elongation and translocation by the GTPase elongation factor G (EF-G). Four structures with a + 1-frameshifting-prone mRNA reveal that frameshifting takes place during translocation of tRNA and mRNA. Prior to EF-G binding, the pre-translocation complex features an in-frame tRNA-mRNA pairing in the A site. In the partially translocated structure with EF-G•GDPCP, the tRNA shifts to the +1-frame near the P site, rendering the freed mRNA base to bulge between the P and E sites and to stack on the 16S rRNA nucleotide G926. The ribosome remains frameshifted in the nearly post-translocation state. Our findings demonstrate that the ribosome and EF-G cooperate to induce +1 frameshifting during tRNA-mRNA translocation.

• MeSH
• biokatalýza MeSH
• elektronová kryomikroskopie MeSH
• elongace translace peptidového řetězce genetika   MeSH
• elongační faktor G chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Escherichia coli genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• konformace nukleové kyseliny MeSH
• konformace proteinů MeSH
• messenger RNA chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• posun čtecího rámce na ribozómech genetika   MeSH
• proteiny z Escherichia coli chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• ribozomy genetika   metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA transferová chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• tRNA-methyltransferasy genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Ribosomes stalled during translation must be rescued to replenish the pool of translation-competent ribosomal subunits. Bacterial alternative rescue factor B (ArfB) releases nascent peptides from ribosomes stalled on mRNAs truncated at the A site, allowing ribosome recycling. Prior structural work revealed that ArfB recognizes such ribosomes by inserting its C-terminal α-helix into the vacant mRNA tunnel. In this work, we report that ArfB can efficiently recognize a wider range of mRNA substrates, including longer mRNAs that extend beyond the A-site codon. Single-particle cryo-EM unveils that ArfB employs two modes of function depending on the mRNA length. ArfB acts as a monomer to accommodate a shorter mRNA in the ribosomal A site. By contrast, longer mRNAs are displaced from the mRNA tunnel by more than 20 Å and are stabilized in the intersubunit space by dimeric ArfB. Uncovering distinct modes of ArfB function resolves conflicting biochemical and structural studies, and may lead to re-examination of other ribosome rescue pathways, whose functions depend on mRNA lengths.

• MeSH
• biokatalýza MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• dimerizace MeSH
• konformace proteinů MeSH
• messenger RNA genetika   metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• podjednotky ribozomu metabolismus   MeSH
• proteiny z Escherichia coli chemie   metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• ribozomy metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• stabilita RNA MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH