One of the key roles of the 12-subunit eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) is to promote the formation of the 43S and 48S pre-initiation complexes (PICs). However, particular contributions of its individual subunits to these two critical initiation reactions remained obscure. Here, we adapted formaldehyde gradient cross-linking protocol to translation studies and investigated the efficiency of the 43S and 48S PIC assembly in knockdowns of individual subunits of human eIF3 known to produce various partial subcomplexes. We revealed that eIF3d constitutes an important intermolecular bridge between eIF3 and the 40S subunit as its elimination from the eIF3 holocomplex severely compromised the 43S PIC assembly. Similarly, subunits eIF3a, c and e were found to represent an important binding force driving eIF3 binding to the 40S subunit. In addition, we demonstrated that eIF3c, and eIF3k and l subunits alter the efficiency of mRNA recruitment to 43S PICs in an opposite manner. Whereas the eIF3c knockdown reduces it, downregulation of eIF3k or eIF3l increases mRNA recruitment, suggesting that the latter subunits possess a regulatory potential. Altogether this study provides new insights into the role of human eIF3 in the initial assembly steps of the translational machinery.

• MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 genetics   MeSH
• Formaldehyde pharmacology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Ribosome Subunits, Small, Eukaryotic genetics   MeSH
• RNA, Messenger genetics   MeSH
• Microtubule-Associated Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Protein Biosynthesis genetics   MeSH
• Cross-Linking Reagents pharmacology   MeSH
• Ribosomes genetics   MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• EIF3C protein, human MeSH Browser
• EIF3D protein, human MeSH Browser
• EIF3K protein, human MeSH Browser
• EIF3L protein, human MeSH Browser
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 MeSH
• Formaldehyde MeSH
• RNA, Messenger MeSH
• Microtubule-Associated Proteins MeSH
• Cross-Linking Reagents MeSH

Ribosome was long considered as a critical yet passive player in protein synthesis. Only recently the role of its basic components, ribosomal RNAs and proteins, in translational control has begun to emerge. Here we examined function of the small ribosomal protein uS3/Rps3, earlier shown to interact with eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF3, in termination. We identified two residues in consecutive helices occurring in the mRNA entry pore, whose mutations to the opposite charge either reduced (K108E) or increased (R116D) stop codon readthrough. Whereas the latter increased overall levels of eIF3-containing terminating ribosomes in heavy polysomes in vivo indicating slower termination rates, the former specifically reduced eIF3 amounts in termination complexes. Combining these two mutations with the readthrough-reducing mutations at the extreme C-terminus of the a/Tif32 subunit of eIF3 either suppressed (R116D) or exacerbated (K108E) the readthrough phenotypes, and partially corrected or exacerbated the defects in the composition of termination complexes. In addition, we found that K108 affects efficiency of termination in the termination context-specific manner by promoting incorporation of readthrough-inducing tRNAs. Together with the multiple binding sites that we identified between these two proteins, we suggest that Rps3 and eIF3 closely co-operate to control translation termination and stop codon readthrough.

• MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Organisms, Genetically Modified MeSH
• Protein Biosynthesis genetics   MeSH
• Ribosomal Proteins genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Ribosomes metabolism   MeSH
• RNA, Transfer metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Peptide Chain Termination, Translational * genetics   MeSH
• Codon, Terminator metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Binding Sites genetics   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 MeSH
• Ribosomal Proteins MeSH
• RNA, Transfer MeSH
• RPS3 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH
• Codon, Terminator MeSH

eIF3 is a large multiprotein complex serving as an essential scaffold promoting binding of other eIFs to the 40S subunit, where it coordinates their actions during translation initiation. Perhaps due to a high degree of flexibility of multiple eIF3 subunits, a high-resolution structure of free eIF3 from any organism has never been solved. Employing genetics and biochemistry, we previously built a 2D interaction map of all five yeast eIF3 subunits. Here we further improved the previously reported in vitro reconstitution protocol of yeast eIF3, which we cross-linked and trypsin-digested to determine its overall shape in 3D by advanced mass-spectrometry. The obtained cross-links support our 2D subunit interaction map and reveal that eIF3 is tightly packed with its WD40 and RRM domains exposed. This contrasts with reported cryo-EM structures depicting eIF3 as a molecular embracer of the 40S subunit. Since the binding of eIF1 and eIF5 further fortified the compact architecture of eIF3, we suggest that its initial contact with the 40S solvent-exposed side makes eIF3 to open up and wrap around the 40S head with its extended arms. In addition, we mapped the position of eIF5 to the region below the P- and E-sites of the 40S subunit.

• MeSH
• Cryoelectron Microscopy MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-1 chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-5 chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational * MeSH
• Ribosome Subunits, Small, Eukaryotic genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Models, Molecular MeSH
• Protein Domains MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   metabolism   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Binding Sites genetics   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-1 MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-5 MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH

Cells have elaborated a complex strategy to maintain protein homeostasis under physiological as well as stress conditions with the aim to ensure the smooth functioning of vital processes and producing healthy offspring. Impairment of one of the most important processes in living cells, translation, might have serious consequences including various brain disorders in humans. Here, we describe a variant of the translation initiation factor eIF3a, Rpg1-3, mutated in its PCI domain that displays an attenuated translation efficiency and formation of reversible assemblies at physiological growth conditions. Rpg1-3-GFP assemblies are not sequestered within mother cells only as usual for misfolded-protein aggregates and are freely transmitted from the mother cell into the bud although they are of non-amyloid nature. Their bud-directed transmission and the active movement within the cell area depend on the intact actin cytoskeleton and the related molecular motor Myo2. Mutations in the Rpg1-3 protein render not only eIF3a but, more importantly, also the eIF3 core complex prone to aggregation that is potentiated by the limited availability of Hsp70 and Hsp40 chaperones. Our results open the way to understand mechanisms yeast cells employ to cope with malfunction and aggregation of essential proteins and their complexes.

• Keywords
• Actin, Aggregation, Asymmetric segregation, Hsp40, Hsp70, Myo2, Rpg1/eIF3a, Yeast,
• MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Actin Cytoskeleton genetics   MeSH
• Mitochondria MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Myosin Type V genetics   MeSH
• Protein Aggregates genetics   MeSH
• HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins genetics   MeSH
• HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   growth & development   MeSH
• Myosin Heavy Chains genetics   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 MeSH
• MYO2 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser
• Myosin Type V MeSH
• Protein Aggregates MeSH
• HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins MeSH
• HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins MeSH
• RPG1 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH
• Myosin Heavy Chains MeSH

Protein production must be strictly controlled at its beginning and end to synthesize a polypeptide that faithfully copies genetic information carried in the encoding mRNA. In contrast to viruses and prokaryotes, the majority of mRNAs in eukaryotes contain only one coding sequence, resulting in production of a single protein. There are, however, many exceptional mRNAs that either carry short open reading frames upstream of the main coding sequence (uORFs) or even contain multiple long ORFs. A wide variety of mechanisms have evolved in microbes and higher eukaryotes to prevent recycling of some or all translational components upon termination of the first translated ORF in such mRNAs and thereby enable subsequent translation of the next uORF or downstream coding sequence. These specialized reinitiation mechanisms are often regulated to couple translation of the downstream ORF to various stimuli. Here we review all known instances of both short uORF-mediated and long ORF-mediated reinitiation and present our current understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of these intriguing modes of translational control.

• MeSH
• Bacteria genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Eukaryota genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Open Reading Frames genetics   MeSH
• Protein Biosynthesis genetics   physiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural MeSH

Protein synthesis is mediated via numerous molecules including the ribosome, mRNA, tRNAs, as well as translation initiation, elongation and release factors. Some of these factors play several roles throughout the entire process to ensure proper assembly of the preinitiation complex on the right mRNA, accurate selection of the initiation codon, errorless production of the encoded polypeptide and its proper termination. Perhaps, the most intriguing of these multitasking factors is the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF3. Recent evidence strongly suggests that this factor, which coordinates the progress of most of the initiation steps, does not come off the initiation complex upon subunit joining, but instead it remains bound to 80S ribosomes and gradually falls off during the first few elongation cycles to: (1) promote resumption of scanning on the same mRNA molecule for reinitiation downstream-in case of translation of upstream ORFs short enough to preserve eIF3 bound; or (2) come back during termination on long ORFs to fine tune its fidelity or, if signaled, promote programmed stop codon readthrough. Here, we unite recent structural views of the eIF3-40S complex and discus all known eIF3 roles to provide a broad picture of the eIF3's impact on translational control in eukaryotic cells.

• MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Conformation * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• RNA, Messenger genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Models, Molecular MeSH
• Protein Subunits chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Biosynthesis * MeSH
• Ribosomes genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 MeSH
• RNA, Messenger MeSH
• Protein Subunits MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH

For many years initiation and termination of mRNA translation have been studied separately. However, a direct link between these 2 isolated stages has been suggested by the fact that some initiation factors also control termination and can even promote ribosome recycling; i.e. the last stage where post-terminating 80S ribosomes are split to start a new round of initiation. Notably, it is now firmly established that, among other factors, ribosomal recycling critically requires the NTPase ABCE1. However, several earlier reports have proposed that ABCE1 also somehow participates in the initiation complex assembly. Based on an extended analysis of our recently published late-stage 48S initiation complex from rabbit, here we provide new mechanistic insights into this putative role of ABCE1 in initiation. This point of view represents the first structural evidence in which the regulatory role of the recycling factor ABCE1 in initiation is discussed and establishes a corner stone for elucidating the interplay between ABCE1 and several initiation factors during the transit from ribosomal recycling to formation of the elongation competent 80S initiation complex.

• Keywords
• ABCE1, cryo-EM, recycling, ribosome, translation,
• MeSH
• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Peptide Elongation Factors MeSH
• Hydrolysis MeSH
• Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational * MeSH
• Peptide Initiation Factors metabolism   MeSH
• Rabbits MeSH
• Models, Molecular MeSH
• Nucleosides chemistry   MeSH
• Ribosomes metabolism   MeSH
• Peptide Chain Termination, Translational MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Binding Sites MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rabbits MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters MeSH
• Peptide Elongation Factors MeSH
• Peptide Initiation Factors MeSH
• Nucleosides MeSH

The 12-subunit mammalian eIF3 is the largest and most complex translation initiation factor and has been implicated in numerous steps of translation initiation, termination and ribosomal recycling. Imbalanced eIF3 expression levels are observed in various types of cancer and developmental disorders, but the consequences of altered eIF3 subunit expression on its overall structure and composition, and on translation in general, remain unclear. We present the first complete in vivo study monitoring the effects of RNAi knockdown of each subunit of human eIF3 on its function, subunit balance and integrity. We show that the eIF3b and octameric eIF3a subunits serve as the nucleation core around which other subunits assemble in an ordered way into two interconnected modules: the yeast-like core and the octamer, respectively. In the absence of eIF3b neither module forms in vivo, whereas eIF3d knock-down results in severe proliferation defects with no impact on eIF3 integrity. Disrupting the octamer produces an array of subcomplexes with potential roles in translational regulation. This study, outlining the mechanism of eIF3 assembly and illustrating how imbalanced expression of eIF3 subunits impacts the factor's overall expression profile, thus provides a comprehensive guide to the human eIF3 complex and to the relationship between eIF3 misregulation and cancer.

• MeSH
• Down-Regulation MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 physiology   MeSH
• HeLa Cells MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Protein Multimerization MeSH
• Multiprotein Complexes metabolism   MeSH
• Cell Proliferation MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• EIF3A protein, human MeSH Browser
• EIF3B protein, human MeSH Browser
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 MeSH
• Multiprotein Complexes MeSH

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) is a central player in recruitment of the pre-initiation complex (PIC) to mRNA. We probed the effects on mRNA recruitment of a library of S. cerevisiae eIF3 functional variants spanning its 5 essential subunits using an in vitro-reconstituted system. Mutations throughout eIF3 disrupt its interaction with the PIC and diminish its ability to accelerate recruitment to a native yeast mRNA. Alterations to the eIF3a CTD and eIF3b/i/g significantly slow mRNA recruitment, and mutations within eIF3b/i/g destabilize eIF2•GTP•Met-tRNAi binding to the PIC. Using model mRNAs lacking contacts with the 40S entry or exit channels, we uncovered a critical role for eIF3 requiring the eIF3a NTD, in stabilizing mRNA interactions at the exit channel, and an ancillary role at the entry channel requiring residues of the eIF3a CTD. These functions are redundant: defects at each channel can be rescued by filling the other channel with mRNA.

• Keywords
• S. cerevisiae, biochemistry, biophysics, eIF3, initiation, mRNA recruitment, ribosome, structural biology, translation, yeast,
• MeSH
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Guanosine Triphosphate metabolism   MeSH
• RNA, Messenger metabolism   MeSH
• DNA Mutational Analysis MeSH
• Mutant Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Subunits genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Biosynthesis MeSH
• Ribosomes metabolism   MeSH
• RNA, Transfer, Met metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 MeSH
• Guanosine Triphosphate MeSH
• RNA, Messenger MeSH
• Mutant Proteins MeSH
• Protein Subunits MeSH
• RNA, Transfer, Met MeSH

Translational control in eukaryotes is exerted by many means, one of which involves a ribosome translating multiple cistrons per mRNA as in bacteria. It is called reinitiation (REI) and occurs on mRNAs where the main ORF is preceded by a short upstream uORF(s). Some uORFs support efficient REI on downstream cistrons, whereas some others do not. The mRNA of yeast transcriptional activator GCN4 contains four uORFs of both types that together compose an intriguing regulatory mechanism of its expression responding to nutrients' availability and various stresses. Here we subjected all GCN4 uORFs to a comprehensive analysis to identify all REI-promoting and inhibiting cis-determinants that contribute either autonomously or in synergy to the overall efficiency of REI on GCN4. We found that the 3' sequences of uORFs 1-3 contain a conserved AU1-2A/UUAU2 motif that promotes REI in position-specific, autonomous fashion such as the REI-promoting elements occurring in 5' sequences of uORF1 and uORF2. We also identified autonomous and transferable REI-inhibiting elements in the 3' sequences of uORF2 and uORF3, immediately following their AU-rich motif. Furthermore, we analyzed contributions of coding triplets and terminating stop codon tetranucleotides of GCN4 uORFs showing a negative correlation between the efficiency of reinitiation and efficiency of translation termination. Together we provide a complex overview of all cis-determinants of REI with their effects set in the context of the overall GCN4 translational control.

• Keywords
• GCN4, cis-regulation, reinitiation, translational control, uORF,
• MeSH
• Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational MeSH
• RNA, Messenger genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Open Reading Frames MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, RNA MeSH
• Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• GCN4 protein, S cerevisiae MeSH Browser
• RNA, Messenger MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins MeSH
• Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors MeSH