Translocation of a tRNA with an extended anticodon through the ribosome

Genetic Code Expansion Through Quadruplet Codon Decoding

Noncanonical amino acid mutagenesis has emerged as a powerful tool for the study of protein structure and function. While triplet nonsense codons, especially the amber codon, have been widely employed, quadruplet codons have attracted attention for the potential of creating additional blank codons for noncanonical amino acids mutagenesis. In this review, we discuss methodologies and applications of quadruplet codon decoding in genetic code expansion both in vitro and in vivo.

Structural insights into mRNA reading frame regulation by tRNA modification and slippery codon-anticodon pairing

Modifications in the tRNA anticodon loop, adjacent to the three-nucleotide anticodon, influence translation fidelity by stabilizing the tRNA to allow for accurate reading of the mRNA genetic code. One example is the N1-methylguanosine modification at guanine nucleotide 37 (m¹G37) located in the anticodon loop andimmediately adjacent to the anticodon nucleotides 34, 35, 36. The absence of m¹G37 in tRNA^Pro causes +1 frameshifting on polynucleotide, slippery codons. Here, we report structures of the bacterial ribosome containing tRNA^Pro bound to either cognate or slippery codons to determine how the m¹G37 modification prevents mRNA frameshifting. The structures reveal that certain codon–anticodon contexts and the lack of m¹G37 destabilize interactions of tRNA^Pro with the P site of the ribosome, causing large conformational changes typically only seen during EF-G-mediated translocation of the mRNA-tRNA pairs. These studies provide molecular insights into how m¹G37 stabilizes the interactions of tRNA^Pro with the ribosome in the context of a slippery mRNA codon.

Natural pyrrolysine-biased translation of stop codons in mitochondrial peptides entirely coded by expanded codons

During the noncanonical deletion transcription, k nucleotides are systematically skipped/deleted after each transcribed trinucleotide producing deletion-RNAs (delRNAs). Peptides matching delRNAs either result from (a) canonical translation of delRNAs; or (b) noncanonical translation of regular transcripts along expanded codons. Only along frame "0" (start site) (a) and (b) produce identical peptides. Here, mitochondrial mass spectrometry data analyses assume expanded codon/del-transcription with 3 + k (k from 0 to 12) nucleotides. Detected peptides map preferentially on previously identified delRNAs. More peptides were detected for k (1-12) when del-transcriptional and expanded codon translations start sites coincide (i.e. the 0^th frame) than for frames +1 or +2. Hence, both (a) and (b) produced peptides identified here. Biases for frame 0 decrease for k > 2, reflecting codon/anticodon expansion limits. Further analyses find preferential pyrrolysine insertion at stop codons, suggesting Pyl-specific mitochondrial suppressor tRNAs loaded by Pyl-specific tRNA synthetases with unknown origins. Pyl biases at stops are stronger for regular than expanded codons suggesting that Pyl-tRNAs are less competitive with near-cognate tRNAs in expanded codon contexts. Statistical biases for these findings exclude that detected peptides are experimental and/or bioinformatic artefacts implying both del-transcription and expanded codons translation occur in human mitochondria.

Chimeric Translation for Mitochondrial Peptides: Regular and Expanded Codons

Frameshifting protein translation occasionally results from insertion of amino acids at isolated mono- or dinucleotide-expanded codons by tRNAs with expanded anticodons. Previous analyses of two different types of human mitochondrial MS proteomic data (Fisher and Waters technologies) detect peptides entirely corresponding to expanded codon translation. Here, these proteomic data are reanalyzed searching for peptides consisting of at least eight consecutive amino acids translated according to regular tricodons, and at least eight adjacent consecutive amino acids translated according to expanded codons. Both datasets include chimerically translated peptides (mono- and dinucleotide expansions, 42 and 37, respectively). The regular tricodon-encoded part of some chimeric peptides corresponds to standard human mitochondrial proteins (mono- and dinucleotide expansions, six (AT6, CytB, ND1, 2xND2, ND5) and one (ND1), respectively). Chimeric translation probably increases the diversity of mitogenome-encoded proteins, putatively producing functional proteins. These might result from translation by tRNAs with expanded anticodons, or from regular tricodon translation of RNAs where transcription/posttranscriptional edition systematically deleted mono- or dinucleotides after each trinucleotide. The pairwise matched combination of adjacent peptide parts translated from regular and expanded codons strengthens the hypothesis that translation of stretches of consecutive expanded codons occurs. Results indicate statistical translation producing distributions of alternative proteins. Genetic engineering should account for potential unexpected, unwanted secondary products.

Mechanism of tRNA-mediated +1 ribosomal frameshifting

Accurate translation of the genetic code is critical to ensure expression of proteins with correct amino acid sequences. Certain tRNAs can cause a shift out of frame (i.e., frameshifting) due to imbalances in tRNA concentrations, lack of tRNA modifications or insertions or deletions in tRNAs (called frameshift suppressors). Here, we determined the structural basis for how frameshift-suppressor tRNA^SufA6 (a derivative of tRNA^Pro) reprograms the mRNA frame to translate a 4-nt codon when bound to the bacterial ribosome. After decoding at the aminoacyl (A) site, the crystal structure of the anticodon stem-loop of tRNA^SufA6 bound in the peptidyl (P) site reveals ASL conformational changes that allow for recoding into the +1 mRNA frame. Furthermore, a crystal structure of full-length tRNA^SufA6 programmed in the P site shows extensive conformational rearrangements of the 30S head and body domains similar to what is observed in a translocation intermediate state containing elongation factor G (EF-G). The 30S movement positions tRNA^SufA6 toward the 30S exit (E) site disrupting key 16S rRNA-mRNA interactions that typically define the mRNA frame. In summary, this tRNA-induced 30S domain change in the absence of EF-G causes the ribosome to lose its grip on the mRNA and uncouples the canonical forward movement of the tRNAs during elongation.

Bijective codon transformations show genetic code symmetries centered on cytosine's coding properties

Homology of some RNAs with template DNA requires systematic exchanges between nucleotides. Such exchanges produce 'swinger' RNA along 23 bijective transformations (nine symmetric, X ↔ Y; and 14 asymmetric, X → Y → Z → X, for example A ↔ C and A → C → G → A, respectively). Here, analyses compare amino acids coded by swinger-transformed codons to those coded by untransformed codons, defining coding invariance after transformations. Swinger transformations cluster according to coding invariance in four groups characterized by transformations into cytosine (C = C, T → C, A → C, and G → C). C's central mutational coding role shows that swinger transformations constrained genetic code genesis. Coding invariance post-transformations correlate positively/negatively with mitochondrial swinger transcription/lepidosaurian body temperature. Presumably, low/high temperatures stabilize/revert rare swinger polymerization modes, producing long swinger sequences/point mutations, respectively. Coding invariance after swinger transformations might compensate effects of swinger polymerizations in species with low body temperatures. Hypothetically, swinger transcription increased coding potential of RNA self-replicating protolife systems under heating/cooling cycles.

Structural insights into ribosome translocation

During protein synthesis, tRNA and mRNA are translocated from the A to P to E sites of the ribosome thus enabling the ribosome to translate one codon of mRNA after the other. Ribosome translocation along mRNA is induced by the universally conserved ribosome GTPase, elongation factor G (EF‐G) in bacteria and elongation factor 2 (EF‐2) in eukaryotes. Recent structural and single‐molecule studies revealed that tRNA and mRNA translocation within the ribosome is accompanied by cyclic forward and reverse rotations between the large and small ribosomal subunits parallel to the plane of the intersubunit interface. In addition, during ribosome translocation, the ‘head’ domain of small ribosomal subunit undergoes forward‐ and back‐swiveling motions relative to the rest of the small ribosomal subunit around the axis that is orthogonal to the axis of intersubunit rotation. tRNA/mRNA translocation is also coupled to the docking of domain IV of EF‐G into the A site of the small ribosomal subunit that converts the thermally driven motions of the ribosome and tRNA into the forward translocation of tRNA/mRNA inside the ribosome. Despite recent and enormous progress made in the understanding of the molecular mechanism of ribosome translocation, the sequence of structural rearrangements of the ribosome, EF‐G and tRNA during translocation is still not fully established and awaits further investigation. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:620–636. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1354

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.

Systematic Evolution and Study of UAGN Decoding tRNAs in a Genomically Recoded Bacteria

We report the first systematic evolution and study of tRNA variants that are able to read a set of UAGN (N = A, G, U, C) codons in a genomically recoded E. coli strain that lacks any endogenous in-frame UAGN sequences and release factor 1. Through randomizing bases in anticodon stem-loop followed by a functional selection, we identified tRNA mutants with significantly improved UAGN decoding efficiency, which will augment the current efforts on genetic code expansion through quadruplet decoding. We found that an extended anticodon loop with an extra nucleotide was required for a detectable efficiency in UAGN decoding. We also observed that this crucial extra nucleotide was converged to a U (position 33.5) in all of the top tRNA hits no matter which UAGN codon they suppress. The insertion of U33.5 in the anticodon loop likely causes tRNA distortion and affects anticodon-codon interaction, which induces +1 frameshift in the P site of ribosome. A new model was proposed to explain the observed features of UAGN decoding. Overall, our findings elevate our understanding of the +1 frameshift mechanism and provide a useful guidance for further efforts on the genetic code expansion using a non-canonical quadruplet reading frame.

Structural insights into translational recoding by frameshift suppressor tRNASufJ

The three-nucleotide mRNA reading frame is tightly regulated during translation to ensure accurate protein expression. Translation errors that lead to aberrant protein production can result from the uncoupled movement of the tRNA in either the 5' or 3' direction on mRNA. Here, we report the biochemical and structural characterization of +1 frameshift suppressor tRNA(SufJ), a tRNA known to decode four, instead of three, nucleotides. Frameshift suppressor tRNA(SufJ) contains an insertion 5' to its anticodon, expanding the anticodon loop from seven to eight nucleotides. Our results indicate that the expansion of the anticodon loop of either ASL(SufJ) or tRNA(SufJ) does not affect its affinity for the A site of the ribosome. Structural analyses of both ASL(SufJ) and ASL(Thr) bound to the Thermus thermophilus 70S ribosome demonstrate both ASLs decode in the zero frame. Although the anticodon loop residues 34-37 are superimposable with canonical seven-nucleotide ASLs, the single C31.5 insertion between nucleotides 31 and 32 in ASL(SufJ) imposes a conformational change of the anticodon stem, that repositions and tilts the ASL toward the back of the A site. Further modeling analyses reveal that this tilting would cause a distortion in full-length A-site tRNA(SufJ) during tRNA selection and possibly impede gripping of the anticodon stem by 16S rRNA nucleotides in the P site. Together, these data implicate tRNA distortion as a major driver of noncanonical translation events such as frameshifting.

Structural insights into +1 frameshifting promoted by expanded or modification-deficient anticodon stem loops

Maintenance of the correct reading frame on the ribosome is essential for accurate protein synthesis. Here, we report structures of the 70S ribosome bound to frameshift suppressor tRNA(SufA6) and N1-methylguanosine at position 37 (m(1)G37) modification-deficient anticodon stem loop(Pro), both of which cause the ribosome to decode 4 rather than 3 nucleotides, resulting in a +1 reading frame. Our results reveal that decoding at +1 suppressible codons causes suppressor tRNA(SufA6) to undergo a rearrangement of its 5' stem that destabilizes U32, thereby disrupting the conserved U32-A38 base pair. Unexpectedly, the removal of the m(1)G37 modification of tRNA(Pro) also disrupts U32-A38 pairing in a structurally analogous manner. The lack of U32-A38 pairing provides a structural correlation between the transition from canonical translation and a +1 reading of the mRNA. Our structures clarify the molecular mechanism behind suppressor tRNA-induced +1 frameshifting and advance our understanding of the role played by the ribosome in maintaining the correct translational reading frame.

Structural determinants of an internal ribosome entry site that direct translational reading frame selection

The dicistrovirus intergenic internal ribosome entry site (IGR IRES) directly recruits the ribosome and initiates translation using a non-AUG codon. A subset of IGR IRESs initiates translation in either of two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs), resulting in expression of the 0 frame viral structural polyprotein and an overlapping +1 frame ORFx. A U–G base pair adjacent to the anticodon-like pseudoknot of the IRES directs +1 frame translation. Here, we show that the U-G base pair is not absolutely required for +1 frame translation. Extensive mutagenesis demonstrates that 0 and +1 frame translation can be uncoupled. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) structural probing analyses reveal that the mutant IRESs adopt distinct conformations. Toeprinting analysis suggests that the reading frame is selected at a step downstream of ribosome assembly. We propose a model whereby the IRES adopts conformations to occlude the 0 frame aminoacyl-tRNA thereby allowing delivery of the +1 frame aminoacyl-tRNA to the A site to initiate translation of ORFx. This study provides a new paradigm for programmed recoding mechanisms that increase the coding capacity of a viral genome.

An expanded genetic code in mammalian cells with a functional quadruplet codon

We have utilized in vitro evolution to identify tRNA variants with significantly enhanced activity for the incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins in response to a quadruplet codon in both bacterial and mammalian cells. This approach will facilitate the creation of an optimized and standardized system for the genetic incorporation of unnatural amino acids using quadruplet codons, which will allow the biosynthesis of biopolymers that contain multiple unnatural building blocks.

Reprogramming the genetic code: from triplet to quadruplet codes

The genetic code of cells is near-universally triplet, and since many ribosomal mutations are lethal, changing the cellular ribosome to read nontriplet codes is challenging. Herein we review work on the incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins in response to quadruplet codons, and the creation of an orthogonal translation system in the cell that uses an evolved orthogonal ribosome to efficiently direct the incorporation of unnatural amino acids in response to quadruplet codons. Using this system multiple distinct unnatural amino acids have been incorporated and used to genetically program emergent properties into recombinant proteins. Extension of approaches to incorporate multiple unnatural amino acids may allow the combinatorial biosynthesis of materials and therapeutics, and drive investigations into whether life with additional genetically encoded polymers can evolve to perform functions that natural biological systems cannot.

Interaction of the HIV-1 frameshift signal with the ribosome

Ribosomal frameshifting on viral RNAs relies on the mechanical properties of structural elements, often pseudoknots and more rarely stem-loops, that are unfolded by the ribosome during translation. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 type B a long hairpin containing a three-nucleotide bulge is responsible for efficient frameshifting. This three-nucleotide bulge separates the hairpin in two domains: an unstable lower stem followed by a GC-rich upper stem. Toeprinting and chemical probing assays suggest that a hairpin-like structure is retained when ribosomes, initially bound at the slippery sequence, were allowed multiple EF-G catalyzed translocation cycles. However, while the upper stem remains intact the lower stem readily melts. After the first, and single step of translocation of deacylated tRNA to the 30 S P site, movement of the mRNA stem-loop in the 5′ direction is halted, which is consistent with the notion that the downstream secondary structure resists unfolding. Mechanical stretching of the hairpin using optical tweezers only allows clear identification of unfolding of the upper stem at a force of 12.8 ± 1.0 pN. This suggests that the lower stem is unstable and may indeed readily unfold in the presence of a translocating ribosome.

A gripping tale of ribosomal frameshifting: extragenic suppressors of frameshift mutations spotlight P-site realignment

Mutants of translation components which compensate for both -1 and +1 frameshift mutations showed the first evidence for framing malleability. Those compensatory mutants isolated in bacteria and yeast with altered tRNA or protein factors are reviewed here and are considered to primarily cause altered P-site realignment and not altered translocation. Though the first sequenced tRNA mutant which suppressed a +1 frameshift mutation had an extra base in its anticodon loop and led to a textbook "yardstick" model in which the number of anticodon bases determines codon size, this model has long been discounted, although not by all. Accordingly, the reviewed data suggest that reading frame maintenance and translocation are two distinct features of the ribosome. None of the -1 tRNA suppressors have anticodon loops with fewer than the standard seven nucleotides. Many of the tRNA mutants potentially affect tRNA bending and/or stability and can be used for functional assays, and one has the conserved C74 of the 3' CCA substituted. The effect of tRNA modification deficiencies on framing has been particularly informative. The properties of some mutants suggest the use of alternative tRNA anticodon loop stack conformations by individual tRNAs in one translation cycle. The mutant proteins range from defective release factors with delayed decoding of A-site stop codons facilitating P-site frameshifting to altered EF-Tu/EF1alpha to mutant ribosomal large- and small-subunit proteins L9 and S9. Their study is revealing how mRNA slippage is restrained except where it is programmed to occur and be utilized.

Structures of tRNAs with an expanded anticodon loop in the decoding center of the 30S ribosomal subunit

During translation, some +1 frameshift mRNA sites are decoded by frameshift suppressor tRNAs that contain an extra base in their anticodon loops. Similarly engineered tRNAs have been used to insert nonnatural amino acids into proteins. Here, we report crystal structures of two anticodon stem-loops (ASLs) from tRNAs known to facilitate +1 frameshifting bound to the 30S ribosomal subunit with their cognate mRNAs. ASL(CCCG) and ASL(ACCC) (5'-3' nomenclature) form unpredicted anticodon-codon interactions where the anticodon base 34 at the wobble position contacts either the fourth codon base or the third and fourth codon bases. In addition, we report the structure of ASL(ACGA) bound to the 30S ribosomal subunit with its cognate mRNA. The tRNA containing this ASL was previously shown to be unable to facilitate +1 frameshifting in competition with normal tRNAs (Hohsaka et al. 2001), and interestingly, it displays a normal anticodon-codon interaction. These structures show that the expanded anticodon loop of +1 frameshift promoting tRNAs are flexible enough to adopt conformations that allow three bases of the anticodon to span four bases of the mRNA. Therefore it appears that normal triplet pairing is not an absolute constraint of the decoding center.

tRNA's wobble decoding of the genome: 40 years of modification

The genetic code is degenerate, in that 20 amino acids are encoded by 61 triplet codes. In 1966, Francis Crick hypothesized that the cell's limited number of tRNAs decoded the genome by recognizing more than one codon. The ambiguity of that recognition resided in the third base-pair, giving rise to the Wobble Hypothesis. Post-transcriptional modifications at tRNA's wobble position 34, especially modifications of uridine 34, enable wobble to occur. The Modified Wobble Hypothesis proposed in 1991 that specific modifications of a tRNA wobble nucleoside shape the anticodon architecture in such a manner that interactions were restricted to the complementary base plus a single wobble pairing for amino acids with twofold degenerate codons. However, chemically different modifications at position 34 would expand the ability of a tRNA to read three or even four of the fourfold degenerate codons. One foundation of Crick's Wobble Hypothesis was that a near-constant geometry of canonical base-pairing be maintained in forming all three base-pairs between the tRNA anticodon and mRNA codon on the ribosome. In accepting an aminoacyl-tRNA, the ribosome requires maintenance of a specific geometry for the anticodon-codon base-pairing. However, it is the post-transcriptional modifications at tRNA wobble position 34 and purine 37, 3'-adjacent to the anticodon, that pre-structure the anticodon domain to ensure the correct codon binding. The modifications create both the architecture and the stability needed for decoding through restraints on anticodon stereochemistry and conformational space, and through selective hydrogen bonding. A physicochemical understanding of modified nucleoside contributions to the tRNA anticodon domain architecture and its decoding of the genome has advanced RNA world evolutionary theory, the principles of RNA chemistry, and the application of this knowledge to the introduction of new amino acids to proteins.

Recognition and positioning of mRNA in the ribosome by tRNAs with expanded anticodons

Mutant tRNAs containing an extra nucleotide in the anticodon loop are known to suppress +1 frameshift mutations, but in no case has the molecular mechanism been clarified. It has been proposed that the expanded anticodon pairs with a complementary mRNA sequence (the frameshift sequence) in the A site, and this quadruplet "codon-anticodon" helix is translocated to the P site to restore the correct reading frame. Here, we analyze the ability of tRNA analogs containing expanded anticodons to recognize and position mRNA in ribosomal complexes in vitro. In all cases tested, 8 nt anticodon loops position the 3' three-quarters of the frameshift sequence in the P site, indicating that the 5' bases of the expanded anticodon (nucleotides 33.5, 34, and 35) pair with mRNA in the P site. We also provide evidence that four base-pairs can form between the P-site tRNA and mRNA, and the fourth base-pair involves nucleotide 36 of the tRNA and lies toward (or in) the 30 S E site. In the A site, tRNA analogs with the expanded anticodon ACCG are able to recognize either CGG or GGU. These data imply a flexibility of the expanded anticodon in the A site. Recognition of the 5' three-quarters of the frameshift sequence in the A site and subsequent translocation of the expanded anticodon to the P site results in movement of mRNA by four nucleotides, explaining how these tRNAs can change the mRNA register in the ribosome to restore the correct reading frame.