RNA Exosomes and Their Cofactors

Nuclear mRNA decay: regulatory networks that control gene expression

Proper regulation of mRNA production in the nucleus is critical for the maintenance of cellular homoeostasis during adaptation to internal and environmental cues. Over the past 25 years, it has become clear that the nuclear machineries governing gene transcription, pre-mRNA processing, pre-mRNA and mRNA decay, and mRNA export to the cytoplasm are inextricably linked to control the quality and quantity of mRNAs available for translation. More recently, an ever-expanding diversity of new mechanisms by which nuclear RNA decay factors finely tune the expression of protein-encoding genes have been uncovered. Here, we review the current understanding of how mammalian cells shape their protein-encoding potential by regulating the decay of pre-mRNAs and mRNAs in the nucleus.

An RNA exosome subunit mediates cell-to-cell trafficking of a homeobox mRNA via plasmodesmata

Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) function as mobile signals for cell-to-cell communication in multicellular organisms. The KNOTTED1 (KN1) homeodomain family transcription factors act non–cell autonomously to control stem cell maintenance in plants through cell-to-cell movement of their proteins and mRNAs through plasmodesmata; however, the mechanism of mRNA movement is largely unknown. We show that cell-to-cell movement of a KN1 mRNA requires ribosomal RNA–processing protein 44A (AtRRP44A), a subunit of the RNA exosome that processes or degrades diverse RNAs in eukaryotes. AtRRP44A can interact with plasmodesmata and mediates the cell-to-cell trafficking of KN1 mRNA, and genetic analysis indicates that AtRRP44A is required for the developmental functions of SHOOT MERISTEMLESS, an Arabidopsis KN1 homolog. Our findings suggest that AtRRP44A promotes mRNA trafficking through plasmodesmata to control stem cell–dependent processes in plants.

A (dis)integrated stress response: Genetic diseases of eIF2α regulators

The integrated stress response (ISR) is a conserved mechanism by which eukaryotic cells remodel gene expression to adapt to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors rapidly and reversibly. The ISR is initiated when stress-activated protein kinases phosphorylate the major translation initiation factor eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2ɑ (eIF2ɑ), which globally suppresses translation initiation activity and permits the selective translation of stress-induced genes including important transcription factors such as activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). Translationally repressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and noncoding RNAs assemble into cytoplasmic RNA-protein granules and polyadenylated RNAs are concomitantly stabilized. Thus, regulated changes in mRNA translation, stability, and localization to RNA-protein granules contribute to the reprogramming of gene expression that defines the ISR. We discuss fundamental mechanisms of RNA regulation during the ISR and provide an overview of a growing class of genetic disorders associated with mutant alleles of key translation factors in the ISR pathway. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease Translation > Translation Regulation RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development.

System-wide analyses of the fission yeast poly(A)+ RNA interactome reveal insights into organization and function of RNA-protein complexes

Large RNA-binding complexes play a central role in gene expression and orchestrate production, function, and turnover of mRNAs. The accuracy and dynamics of RNA–protein interactions within these molecular machines are essential for their function and are mediated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Here, we show that fission yeast whole-cell poly(A)⁺ RNA–protein crosslinking data provide information on the organization of RNA–protein complexes. To evaluate the relative enrichment of cellular RBPs on poly(A)⁺ RNA, we combine poly(A)⁺ RNA interactome capture with a whole-cell extract normalization procedure. This approach yields estimates of in vivo RNA-binding activities that identify subunits within multiprotein complexes that directly contact RNA. As validation, we trace RNA interactions of different functional modules of the 3′ end processing machinery and reveal additional contacts. Extending our analysis to different mutants of the RNA exosome complex, we explore how substrate channeling through the complex is affected by mutation. Our data highlight the central role of the RNA helicase Mtl1 in regulation of the complex and provide insights into how different components contribute to engagement of the complex with substrate RNA. In addition, we characterize RNA-binding activities of novel RBPs that have been recurrently detected in the RNA interactomes of multiple species. We find that many of these, including cyclophilins and thioredoxins, are substoichiometric RNA interactors in vivo. Because RBPomes show very good overall agreement between species, we propose that the RNA-binding characteristics we observe in fission yeast are likely to apply to related proteins in higher eukaryotes as well.