Endonucleolytic processing of CCA-less tRNA precursors by RNase Z in Bacillus subtilis

CRISPR-GRIT: Guide RNAs with Integrated Repair Templates Enable Precise Multiplexed Genome Editing in the Diploid Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans

Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, causes severe infections in immunocompromised individuals. Limited classes and overuse of current antifungals have led to the rapid emergence of antifungal resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand fungal pathogen genetics to develop new antifungal strategies. Genetic manipulation of C. albicans is encumbered by its diploid chromosomes requiring editing both alleles to elucidate gene function. Although the recent development of CRISPR-Cas systems has facilitated genome editing in C. albicans, large-scale and multiplexed functional genomic studies are still hindered by the necessity of cotransforming repair templates for homozygous knockouts. Here, we present CRISPR-GRIT (Guide RNAs with Integrated Repair Templates), a repair template-integrated guide RNA design for expedited gene knockouts and multiplexed gene editing in C. albicans. We envision that this method can be used for high-throughput library screens and identification of synthetic lethal pairs in both C. albicans and other diploid organisms with strong homologous recombination machinery.

Structural insights into human ELAC2 as a tRNA 3' processing enzyme

Human elaC ribonuclease Z 2 (ELAC2) removes the 3' trailer of precursor transfer ribonucleic acid (pre-tRNA). Mutations in ELAC2 are highly associated with the development of prostate cancer and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, the catalytic mechanism of ELAC2 remains unclear. We determined the cryogenic electron microscopy structures of human ELAC2 in various states, including the apo, pre-tRNA-bound and tRNA-bound states, which enabled us to identify the structural basis for its binding to pre-tRNA and cleavage of the 3' trailer. Notably, conformational rearrangement of the C-terminal helix was related to feeding of the 3' trailer into the cleavage site, possibly explaining why its mutations are associated with disease. We further used biochemical assays to analyse the structural effects of disease-related mutations of human ELAC2. Collectively, our data provide a comprehensive structural basis for how ELAC2 recruits pre-tRNA via its flexible arm domain and guides the 3' trailer of pre-tRNA into the active centre for cleavage by its C-terminal helix.

Structural basis of MALAT1 RNA maturation and mascRNA biogenesis

The metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has key roles in regulating transcription, splicing, tumorigenesis, etc. Its maturation and stabilization require precise processing by RNase P, which simultaneously initiates the biogenesis of a 3' cytoplasmic MALAT1-associated small cytoplasmic RNA (mascRNA). mascRNA was proposed to fold into a transfer RNA (tRNA)-like secondary structure but lacks eight conserved linking residues required by the canonical tRNA fold. Here we report crystal structures of human mascRNA before and after processing, which reveal an ultracompact, quasi-tRNA-like structure. Despite lacking all linker residues, mascRNA faithfully recreates the characteristic 'elbow' feature of tRNAs to recruit RNase P and ElaC homolog protein 2 (ELAC2) for processing, which exhibit distinct substrate specificities. Rotation and repositioning of the D-stem and anticodon regions preclude mascRNA from aminoacylation, avoiding interference with translation. Therefore, a class of metazoan lncRNA loci uses a previously unrecognized, unusually streamlined quasi-tRNA architecture to recruit select tRNA-processing enzymes while excluding others to drive bespoke RNA biogenesis, processing and maturation.

A comparative analysis of mycobacterial ribonucleases: Towards a therapeutic novel drug target

Bacterial responses to continuously changing environments are addressed through modulation of gene expression at the level of transcription initiation, RNA processing and/or decay. Ribonucleases (RNases) are hydrolytic or phosphorolytic enzymes involved in a majority of RNA metabolism reactions. RNases play a crucial role in RNA degradation, either independently or in collaboration with various trans-acting regulatory factors. The genus Mycobacterium consists of five subgenera: Mycobacteroides, Mycolicibacterium, Mycobacterium, Mycolicibacter and Mycolicibacillus, which include 63 fully sequenced species (pathogenic/non-pathogenic) to date. These include 13 different RNases, among which 5 are exonucleases (RNase PH, PNPase, RNase D, nano-RNases and RNase AS) and 8 are endonucleases (RNase J, RNase H, RNase P, RNase III, RNase BN, RNase Z, RNase G and RNase E), although RNase J and RNase BN were later identified to have exoribonuclease functions also. Here, we provide a detailed comparative insight into the Escherichia coli and mycobacterial RNases with respect to their types, phylogeny, structure, function, regulation and mechanism of action, with the main emphasis on RNase E. Among these 13 different mycobacterial RNases, 10 are essential for cell survival and have diverse structures hence, they are promising drug targets. RNase E is also an essential endonuclease that is abundant in many bacteria, forms an RNA degradosome complex that controls central RNA processing/degradation and has a conserved 5' sensor domain/DNase-I like region in its RNase domain. The essential mycobacterial RNases especially RNase E provide a potential repertoire of drug targets that can be exploited for inhibitor/modulator screening against many deadly mycobacterial diseases.

The diverse structural modes of tRNA binding and recognition

tRNAs are short noncoding RNAs responsible for decoding mRNA codon triplets, delivering correct amino acids to the ribosome, and mediating polypeptide chain formation. Due to their key roles during translation, tRNAs have a highly conserved shape and large sets of tRNAs are present in all living organisms. Regardless of sequence variability, all tRNAs fold into a relatively rigid three-dimensional L-shaped structure. The conserved tertiary organization of canonical tRNA arises through the formation of two orthogonal helices, consisting of the acceptor and anticodon domains. Both elements fold independently to stabilize the overall structure of tRNAs through intramolecular interactions between the D- and T-arm. During tRNA maturation, different modifying enzymes posttranscriptionally attach chemical groups to specific nucleotides, which not only affect translation elongation rates but also restrict local folding processes and confer local flexibility when required. The characteristic structural features of tRNAs are also employed by various maturation factors and modification enzymes to assure the selection, recognition, and positioning of specific sites within the substrate tRNAs. The cellular functional repertoire of tRNAs continues to extend well beyond their role in translation, partly, due to the expanding pool of tRNA-derived fragments. Here, we aim to summarize the most recent developments in the field to understand how three-dimensional structure affects the canonical and noncanonical functions of tRNA.

Transfer RNA processing - from a structural and disease perspective

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are highly structured non-coding RNAs which play key roles in translation and cellular homeostasis. tRNAs are initially transcribed as precursor molecules and mature by tightly controlled, multistep processes that involve the removal of flanking and intervening sequences, over 100 base modifications, addition of non-templated nucleotides and aminoacylation. These molecular events are intertwined with the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of tRNAs to make them available at translating ribosomes. Defects in tRNA processing are linked to the development of neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we summarize structural aspects of tRNA processing steps with a special emphasis on intron-containing tRNA splicing involving tRNA splicing endonuclease and ligase. Their role in neurological pathologies will be discussed. Identification of novel RNA substrates of the tRNA splicing machinery has uncovered functions unrelated to tRNA processing. Future structural and biochemical studies will unravel their mechanistic underpinnings and deepen our understanding of neurological diseases.

Regulation of mRNA decay in E. coli

Detailed studies of the Gram-negative model bacterium, Escherichia coli, have demonstrated that post-transcriptional events exert important and possibly greater control over gene regulation than transcription initiation or effective translation. Thus, over the past 30 years, considerable effort has been invested in understanding the pathways of mRNA turnover in E. coli. Although it is assumed that most of the ribonucleases and accessory proteins involved in mRNA decay have been identified, our understanding of the regulation of mRNA decay is still incomplete. Furthermore, the vast majority of the studies on mRNA decay have been conducted on exponentially growing cells. Thus, the mechanism of mRNA decay as currently outlined may not accurately reflect what happens when cells find themselves under a variety of stress conditions, such as, nutrient starvation, changes in pH and temperature, as well as a host of others. While the cellular machinery for degradation is relatively constant over a wide range of conditions, intracellular levels of specific ribonucleases can vary depending on the growth conditions. Substrate competition will also modulate ribonucleolytic activity. Post-transcriptional modifications of transcripts by polyadenylating enzymes may favor a specific ribonuclease activity. Interactions with small regulatory RNAs and RNA binding proteins add additional complexities to mRNA functionality and stability. Since many of the ribonucleases are found at the inner membrane, the physical location of a transcript may help determine its half-life. Here we discuss the properties and role of the enzymes involved in mRNA decay as well as the multiple factors that may affect mRNA decay under various in vivo conditions.

RNase Z Oxidative Degradation Impedes tRNA Maturation and is Involved in Streptococcal Translation Regulation in Response to Oxidative Stress

When encountering oxidative stress, organisms selectively upregulate antioxidant genes and simultaneously suppress the translation of most other proteins. Eukaryotes employ multiple strategies to adjust translation at both the initiation and elongation stages; however, how prokaryotes modulate translation under oxidative stress remains unclear. Here, we report that upon hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) challenge, Streptococcus oligofermentans reduced translation via RNase Z (So-RNaseZ) oxidative degradation, thus hindering tRNA maturation. S. oligofermentans encodes all CCA-less tRNAs that require So-RNaseZ for 3′ end maturation. A combination of nonreducing SDS-PAGE and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) assays demonstrated that H₂O₂ oxidation induced Cys38-Cys149 disulfide linkages in recombinant So-RNaseZ protein, and serine substitution of Cys38 or Cys149 abolished these disulfide linkages. Consistently, redox Western blotting also determined intramolecular disulfide-linked So-RNaseZ in H₂O₂-treated S. oligofermentans cells. The disulfide-linked So-RNaseZ and monomer were both subject to proteolysis, whereas C149S mutation alleviated oxidative degradation of So-RNaseZ, suggesting that H₂O₂-mediated disulfide linkages substantially contributed to So-RNaseZ degradation. Accordingly, Northern blotting determined that tRNA precursor accumulation and mature tRNA species decrease in H₂O₂-treated S. oligofermentans. Moreover, reduced overall protein synthesis, as indicated by puromycin incorporation, and retarded growth of S. oligofermentans occurred in an H₂O₂ concentration-dependent manner. Overexpression of So-RNaseZ not only elevated tRNA precursor processing and protein synthesis but also partly rescued H₂O₂-suppressed S. oligofermentans growth. Moreover, So-RNaseZ oxidative degradation-mediated translation repression elevated S. oligofermentans survival under high H₂O₂ stress. Therefore, this work found that So-RNaseZ oxidative degradation-impeded tRNA maturation contributes to streptococcal translation repression and provides the oxidative stress adaptability for S. oligofermentans.

IMPORTANCE Translation regulation is a common strategy used by organisms to reduce oxidative damage. Catalase-negative streptococci produce as well as tolerate high levels of H₂O₂. This work reports a novel translation regulation mechanism employed by Streptococcus oligofermentans in response to H₂O₂ challenge, in which the key tRNA endonuclease So-RNaseZ is oxidized to form Cys38-Cys149 disulfide linkages and both the disulfide-linked So-RNaseZ and monomers are subject to proteolysis; thus, tRNA maturation, protein translation, and growth are all suppressed. Notably, So-RNaseZ oxidative degradation-mediated translation repression offers oxidative adaptability to S. oligofermentans and enhances its survival against high H₂O₂ challenge. So-RNaseZ orthologs and H₂O₂-sensitive cysteines (Cys38 and Cys149) are widely distributed in Streptococcus and Lactococcus species genomes, which also encode all CCA-less tRNAs and lack catalase. Therefore, RNase Z oxidative degradation-based translation regulation could be widely employed by these lactic acid bacteria, including pathogenic streptococci, to cope with H₂O₂.

The structural characteristics and the substrate recognition properties of RNase ZS1

TMS5 encodes an RNase Z^S1 protein that can process ubiquitin-60S ribosomal protein L40 family (Ub_L40) mRNAs to regulate thermo-sensitive genic male sterility in rice. Despite the importance of this protein, the structural characteristics and substrate recognition properties of RNase Z^S1 remain unclear. Here, we found that the variations in several conservative amino acids alter the activation of RNase Z^S1, and its recognition of RNA substrates depends on the structure of RNA. RNase Z^S1 acts as a homodimer. The conserved amino acids in or adjacent to enzyme center play a critical role in the enzyme activity of RNase Z^S1 and the conserved amino acids that far from active center have little impact on its enzyme activity. The cleavage efficiency of RNase Z^S1 for pre-tRNA-MetCAU35 and Ub_L401 mRNA with cloverleaf-like structure was higher than that of pre-tRNA-AspAUC9 and Ub_L404 mRNA with imperfect cloverleaf-like structure. This difference implies that the enzyme activity of RNase Z^S1 depends on the cloverleaf-like structure of the RNA. Furthermore, the RNase Z^S1 activity was not inhibited by the 5' leader sequence and 3' CCA motif of pre-tRNA. These findings provide new insights for studying the cleavage characteristics and substrate recognition properties of RNase Z^S.

Characterization of the Methanomicrobial Archaeal RNase Zs for Processing the CCA-Containing tRNA Precursors

RNase Z is a widely distributed and usually essential endoribonuclease involved in the 3′-end maturation of transfer RNAs (tRNAs). A CCA triplet that is needed for tRNA aminoacylation in protein translation is added by a nucleotidyl-transferase after the 3′-end processing by RNase Z. However, a considerable proportion of the archaeal pre-tRNAs genetically encode a CCA motif, while the enzymatic characteristics of the archaeal RNase (aRNase) Zs in processing CCA-containing pre-tRNAs remain unclear. This study intensively characterized two methanomicrobial aRNase Zs, the Methanolobus psychrophilus mpy-RNase Z and the Methanococcus maripaludis mmp-RNase Z, particularly focusing on the properties of processing the CCA-containing pre-tRNAs, and in parallel comparison with a bacterial bsu-RNase Z from Bacillus subtilis. Kinetic analysis found that Co²⁺ supplementation enhanced the cleavage efficiency of mpy-RNase Z, mmp-RNase Z, and bsu-RNase Z for 1400-, 2990-, and 34-fold, respectively, and Co²⁺ is even more indispensable to the aRNase Zs than to bsu-RNase Z. Mg²⁺ also elevated the initial cleavage velocity (V₀) of bsu-RNase Z for 60.5-fold. The two aRNase Zs exhibited indiscriminate efficiencies in processing CCA-containing vs. CCA-less pre-tRNAs. However, V₀ of bsu-RNase Z was markedly reduced for 1520-fold by the CCA motif present in pre-tRNAs under Mg²⁺ supplementation, but only 5.8-fold reduced under Co²⁺ supplementation, suggesting Co²⁺ could ameliorate the CCA motif inhibition on bsu-RNase Z. By 3′-RACE, we determined that the aRNase Zs cleaved just downstream the discriminator nucleotide and the CCA triplet in CCA-less and CCA-containing pre-tRNAs, thus exposing the 3′-end for linking CCA and the genetically encoded CCA triplet, respectively. The aRNase Zs, but not bsu-RNase Z, were also able to process the intron-embedded archaeal pre-tRNAs, and even process pre-tRNAs that lack the D, T, or anticodon arm, but strictly required the acceptor stem. In summary, the two methanomicrobial aRNase Zs use cobalt as a metal ligand and process a broad spectrum of pre-tRNAs, and the characteristics would extend our understandings on aRNase Zs.

Analysis of tRNA Cys processing under salt stress in Bacillus subtilis spore outgrowth using RNA sequencing data

Background: In spore-forming bacteria, the molecular mechanisms of accumulation of transfer RNA (tRNA) during sporulation must be a priority as tRNAs play an essential role in protein synthesis during spore germination and outgrowth. However, tRNA processing has not been extensively studied in these conditions, and knowledge of these mechanisms is important to understand long-term stress survival.    Methods:To gain further insight into tRNA processing during spore germination and outgrowth, the expression of the single copy tRNA ^Cys gene was analyzed in the presence and absence of 1.2 M NaCl in Bacillus subtilis using RNA-Seq data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The CLC Genomics work bench 12.0.2 (CLC Bio, Aarhus, Denmark, https://www.qiagenbioinformatics.com/) was used to analyze reads from the tRNA ^Cys gene.  Results:The results show that spores store different populations of tRNA ^Cys-related molecules.  One such population, representing 60% of total tRNA ^Cys, was composed of tRNA ^Cys fragments.  Half of these fragments (3´-tRF) possessed CC, CCA or incorrect additions at the 3´end. tRNA ^Cys with correct CCA addition at the 3´end represented 23% of total tRNA ^Cys, while with CC addition represented 9% of the total and with incorrect addition represented 7%. While an accumulation of tRNA ^Cys precursors was induced by upregulation of the rrnD operon under the control of  σ ^A -dependent promoters under both conditions investigated, salt stress produced only a modest effect on tRNA ^Cys expression and the accumulation of tRNA ^Cys related species. Conclusions:The results demonstrate that tRNA ^Cys molecules resident in spores undergo dynamic processing to produce functional molecules that may play an essential role during protein synthesis.

Bacterial ribonucleases and their roles in RNA metabolism

Ribonucleases (RNases) are mediators in most reactions of RNA metabolism. In recent years, there has been a surge of new information about RNases and the roles they play in cell physiology. In this review, a detailed description of bacterial RNases is presented, focusing primarily on those from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, the model Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms, from which most of our current knowledge has been derived. Information from other organisms is also included, where relevant. In an extensive catalog of the known bacterial RNases, their structure, mechanism of action, physiological roles, genetics, and possible regulation are described. The RNase complement of E. coli and B. subtilis is compared, emphasizing the similarities, but especially the differences, between the two. Included are figures showing the three major RNA metabolic pathways in E. coli and B. subtilis and highlighting specific steps in each of the pathways catalyzed by the different RNases. This compilation of the currently available knowledge about bacterial RNases will be a useful tool for workers in the RNA field and for others interested in learning about this area.

tRNA Maturation Defects Lead to Inhibition of rRNA Processing via Synthesis of pppGpp

rRNAs and tRNAs universally require processing from longer primary transcripts to become functional for translation. Here, we describe an unsuspected link between tRNA maturation and the 3' processing of 16S rRNA, a key step in preparing the small ribosomal subunit for interaction with the Shine-Dalgarno sequence in prokaryotic translation initiation. We show that an accumulation of either 5' or 3' immature tRNAs triggers RelA-dependent production of the stringent response alarmone (p)ppGpp in the Gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis. The accumulation of (p)ppGpp and accompanying decrease in GTP levels specifically inhibit 16S rRNA 3' maturation. We suggest that cells can exploit this mechanism to sense potential slowdowns in tRNA maturation and adjust rRNA processing accordingly to maintain the appropriate functional balance between these two major components of the translation apparatus.

Analysis of tRNACys processing in the absence of CCAase in Bacillus subtilis

In Bacillus subtilis, the tRNA^Cys lacks an encoded CCA 3' end. To gain insight into the role of CCAase and RNases in tRNA^Cys processing, several mutant strains were generated. Northern blot and RT-PCR results suggest that enzymes other than CCAase can participate in CCA addition at the 3' end of the immature tRNA^Cys.

A tRNA's fate is decided at its 3' end: Collaborative actions of CCA-adding enzyme and RNases involved in tRNA processing and degradation

tRNAs are key players in translation and are additionally involved in a wide range of distinct cellular processes. The vital importance of tRNAs becomes evident in numerous diseases that are linked to defective tRNA molecules. It is therefore not surprising that the structural intactness of tRNAs is continuously scrutinized and defective tRNAs are eliminated. In this process, erroneous tRNAs are tagged with single-stranded RNA sequences that are recognized by degrading exonucleases. Recent discoveries have revealed that the CCA-adding enzyme - actually responsible for the de novo synthesis of the 3'-CCA end - plays an indispensable role in tRNA quality control by incorporating a second CCA triplet that is recognized as a degradation tag. In this review, we give an update on the latest findings regarding tRNA quality control that turns out to represent an interplay of the CCA-adding enzyme and RNases involved in tRNA degradation and maturation. In particular, the RNase-induced turnover of the CCA end is now recognized as a trigger for the CCA-adding enzyme to repeatedly scrutinize the structural intactness of a tRNA. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: SI: Regulation of tRNA synthesis and modification in physiological conditions and disease edited by Dr. Boguta Magdalena.

Trz1, the long form RNase Z from yeast, forms a stable heterohexamer with endonuclease Nuc1 and mutarotase

Proteomic studies have established that Trz1, Nuc1 and mutarotase form a complex in yeast. Trz1 is a β-lactamase-type RNase composed of two β-lactamase-type domains connected by a long linker that is responsible for the endonucleolytic cleavage at the 3'-end of tRNAs during the maturation process (RNase Z activity); Nuc1 is a dimeric mitochondrial nuclease involved in apoptosis, while mutarotase (encoded by YMR099C) catalyzes the conversion between the α- and β-configuration of glucose-6-phosphate. Using gel filtration, small angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy, we demonstrated that Trz1, Nuc1 and mutarotase form a very stable heterohexamer, composed of two copies of each of the three subunits. A Nuc1 homodimer is at the center of the complex, creating a two-fold symmetry and interacting with both Trz1 and mutarotase. Enzymatic characterization of the ternary complex revealed that the activities of Trz1 and mutarotase are not affected by complex formation, but that the Nuc1 activity is completely inhibited by mutarotase and partially by Trz1. This suggests that mutarotase and Trz1 might be regulators of the Nuc1 apoptotic nuclease activity.

The crystal structure of Trz1, the long form RNase Z from yeast

tRNAs are synthesized as precursor RNAs that have to undergo processing steps to become functional. Yeast Trz1 is a key endoribonuclease involved in the 3΄ maturation of tRNAs in all domains of life. It is a member of the β-lactamase family of RNases, characterized by an HxHxDH sequence motif involved in coordination of catalytic Zn-ions. The RNase Z family consists of two subfamilies: the short (250-400 residues) and the long forms (about double in size). Short form RNase Z enzymes act as homodimers: one subunit embraces tRNA with a protruding arm, while the other provides the catalytic site. The long form is thought to contain two fused β-lactamase domains within a single polypeptide. Only structures of short form RNase Z enzymes are known. Here we present the 3.1 Å crystal structure of the long-form Trz1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Trz1 is organized into two β-lactamase domains connected by a long linker. The N-terminal domain has lost its catalytic residues, but retains the long flexible arm that is important for tRNA binding, while it is the other way around in the C-terminal domain. Trz1 likely evolved from a duplication and fusion of the gene encoding the monomeric short form RNase Z.

Genes Contributing to Porphyromonas gingivalis Fitness in Abscess and Epithelial Cell Colonization Environments

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an important cause of serious periodontal diseases, and is emerging as a pathogen in several systemic conditions including some forms of cancer. Initial colonization by P. gingivalis involves interaction with gingival epithelial cells, and the organism can also access host tissues and spread haematogenously. To better understand the mechanisms underlying these properties, we utilized a highly saturated transposon insertion library of P. gingivalis, and assessed the fitness of mutants during epithelial cell colonization and survival in a murine abscess model by high-throughput sequencing (Tn-Seq). Transposon insertions in many genes previously suspected as contributing to virulence showed significant fitness defects in both screening assays. In addition, a number of genes not previously associated with P. gingivalis virulence were identified as important for fitness. We further examined fitness defects of four such genes by generating defined mutations. Genes encoding a carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, a replication-associated recombination protein, a nitrosative stress responsive HcpR transcription regulator, and RNase Z, a zinc phosphodiesterase, showed a fitness phenotype in epithelial cell colonization and in a competitive abscess infection. This study verifies the importance of several well-characterized putative virulence factors of P. gingivalis and identifies novel fitness determinants of the organism.

Metazoan tRNA introns generate stable circular RNAs in vivo

We report the discovery of a class of abundant circular noncoding RNAs that are produced during metazoan tRNA splicing. These transcripts, termed tRNA intronic circular (tric)RNAs, are conserved features of animal transcriptomes. Biogenesis of tricRNAs requires anciently conserved tRNA sequence motifs and processing enzymes, and their expression is regulated in an age-dependent and tissue-specific manner. Furthermore, we exploited this biogenesis pathway to develop an in vivo expression system for generating "designer" circular RNAs in human cells. Reporter constructs expressing RNA aptamers such as Spinach and Broccoli can be used to follow the transcription and subcellular localization of tricRNAs in living cells. Owing to the superior stability of circular vs. linear RNA isoforms, this expression system has a wide range of potential applications, from basic research to pharmaceutical science.

How bacterial cells keep ribonucleases under control

Ribonucleases (RNases) play an essential role in essentially every aspect of RNA metabolism, but they also can be destructive enzymes that need to be regulated to avoid unwanted degradation of RNA molecules. As a consequence, cells have evolved multiple strategies to protect RNAs against RNase action. They also utilize a variety of mechanisms to regulate the RNases themselves. These include post-transcriptional regulation, post-translational modification, trans-acting inhibitors, cellular localization, as well as others that are less well studied. In this review, I will briefly discuss how RNA molecules are protected and then examine in detail our current understanding of the mechanisms known to regulate individual RNases.

Small stable RNA maturation and turnover in Bacillus subtilis

Stable RNA maturation is a key process in the generation of functional RNAs, and failure to correctly process these RNAs can lead to their elimination through quality control mechanisms. Studies of the maturation pathways of ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA in Bacillus subtilis showed they were radically different from Escherichia coli and led to the identification of new B. subtilis-specific enzymes. We noticed that, despite their important roles in translation, a number of B. subtilis small stable RNAs still did not have characterised maturation pathways, notably the tmRNA, involved in ribosome rescue, and the RNase P RNA, involved in tRNA maturation. Here, we show that tmRNA is matured by RNase P and RNase Z at its 5' and 3' extremities, respectively, whereas the RNase P RNA is matured on its 3' side by RNase Y. Recent evidence that several RNases are not essential in B. subtilis prompted us to revisit maturation of the scRNA, a component of the signal recognition particle involved in co-translational insertion of specific proteins into the membrane. We show that RNase Y is also involved in 3' processing of scRNA. Lastly, we identified some of the enzymes involved in the turnover of these three stable RNAs.

Genetic manipulation of Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccus and a member of the normal skin flora, as well as that of the nasal passages of humans. However, S. aureus can also gain entry into the host and cause life-threatening infections or persist as disease foci that develop into suppurative abscesses. While genetically tractable, the manipulation of S. aureus remains challenging. This unit describes methods developed in our laboratory for gene disruption by allelic replacement and transposition. We also provide a protocol for bacteriophage-mediated transduction of mutants marked with selectable alleles and describe plasmid utilization for complementation studies.

tRNA 3' processing in yeast involves tRNase Z, Rex1, and Rrp6

Mature tRNA 3' ends in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are generated by two pathways: endonucleolytic and exonucleolytic. Although two exonucleases, Rex1 and Rrp6, have been shown to be responsible for the exonucleolytic trimming, the identity of the endonuclease has been inferred from other systems but not confirmed in vivo. Here, we show that the yeast tRNA 3' endonuclease tRNase Z, Trz1, is catalyzing endonucleolytic tRNA 3' processing. The majority of analyzed tRNAs utilize both pathways, with a preference for the endonucleolytic one. However, 3'-end processing of precursors with long 3' trailers depends to a greater extent on Trz1. In addition to its function in the nucleus, Trz1 processes the 3' ends of mitochondrial tRNAs, contributing to the general RNA metabolism in this organelle.

The tRNA 3'-end processing enzyme tRNase Z2 contributes to chloroplast biogenesis in rice

tRNase Z (TRZ) is a ubiquitous endonuclease that removes the 3'-trailer from precursor tRNAs during maturation. In yeast and animals, TRZ regulates the cell cycle via its (t)RNA processing activity; however, its physiological function in higher plants has not been well characterized. This study describes the identification of a rice (Oryza sativa) TRZ2 mutant; plants homozygous for the osatrz2 mutation were albinos with deficient chlorophyll content. A microscopic analysis of the mutant plants revealed that the transition of proplastids to chloroplasts was arrested at an early stage, and the number and size of the plastids in callus cells was substantially decreased. A genetic complementation test and an RNA interference analysis confirmed that disruption of OsaTRZ2 was responsible for the mutant phenotype. OsaTRZ2 is expressed in all rice tissues, but is preferentially expressed in leaves, sheathes, and calli. OsaTRZ2 was subcellularly localized in chloroplasts, and displayed tRNA 3'-end processing activity in both in vitro and in vivo assays. In the osatrz2 mutants, transcription of plastid-encoded and nucleus-encoded RNA polymerases was severely reduced and moderately increased, respectively. These results suggest that the tRNA 3' processing activity of OsaTRZ2 contributes to chloroplast biogenesis.

Exposure of Bacillus subtilis to mercury induces accumulation of shorter tRNA Cys species

RNA processing is an essential pathway in the regulation of genetic expression in the cell. In this work, Bacillus subtilis was used to understand the effects of mercury on the mechanism of tRNA metabolism. The CVAAS (cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy) method revealed that from the addition of HgCl2 (0.75 μg ml(-1)) during the bacterial exponential phase, ca. 48% of the added mercury was taken up by the cells. This led to an immediate reduction in the rate of cell division. During this response, we observed accumulation of species shorter than mature tRNA(Cys) over a 10 h period. We did not observe this accumulation for another five tRNAs analyzed. tRNA processing is largely dependent on RNase R and PNPase in B. subtilis. Thus, when the exonuclease PNPase was absent, we found that the shorter tRNA(Cys) species increased and mature tRNA(Cys) decreased after mercury addition, but this proportion changed during the time analyzed. However, in the absence of RNase R and PNPase the accumulation of the shorter tRNA(Cys) was more pronounced and the mature form was not recovered. In the single rnr mutant strain the shorter tRNA(Cys) was not observed. All together, we provide in vivo evidence that PNPase and RNase R are indispensable in controlling tRNA(Cys) quality in the presence of mercury.

How a CCA sequence protects mature tRNAs and tRNA precursors from action of the processing enzyme RNase BN/RNase Z

In many organisms, 3' maturation of tRNAs is catalyzed by the endoribonuclease, RNase BN/RNase Z, which cleaves after the discriminator nucleotide to generate a substrate for addition of the universal CCA sequence. However, tRNAs or tRNA precursors that already contain a CCA sequence are not cleaved, thereby avoiding a futile cycle of removal and readdition of these essential residues. We show here that the adjacent C residues of the CCA sequence and an Arg residue within a highly conserved sequence motif in the channel leading to the RNase catalytic site are both required for the protective effect of the CCA sequence. When both of these determinants are present, CCA-containing RNAs in the channel are unable to move into the catalytic site; however, substitution of either of the C residues by A or U or mutation of Arg(274) to Ala allows RNA movement and catalysis to proceed. These data define a novel mechanism for how tRNAs are protected against the promiscuous action of a processing enzyme.

Developmental roles of Drosophila tRNA processing endonuclease RNase ZL as revealed with a conditional rescue system

Drosophila RNase Z(L) (dRNaseZ) belongs to a family of endoribonucleases with a major role in tRNA 3'-end processing. The biochemical function of RNase Z(L) is conserved from yeast to human. Here we present a study of its biological function during Drosophila development. In flies, dRNaseZ provides a non-redundant function, as the RNZ(ED24) knockout (KO) mutation causes early larval lethality. Mosaic and conditional rescue techniques were employed to determine dRNaseZ requirements at later stages. We found that dRNaseZ activity is essential for all phases of fly development that involve cell division, including growth of adult tissue progenitors during larval and metamorphic stages, and gametogenesis in adults. At the cellular level, two major phenotypes were identified-cell growth deficiency in endoreplicating tissues and cell cycle arrest in mitotic tissues. While cell growth and proliferation are both dependant on protein synthesis, the two phenotypes displayed reliance on different dRNaseZ functions. We found that dRNaseZ KO completely blocks tRNA maturation without diminishing the abundance of mature tRNA molecules. Our data indicate that growth arrest of endoreplicating cells is primarily attributed to the relocation of the pool of mature tRNAs into the nuclei causing a decrease in translation efficiency. Mitotically dividing cells appear to be less dependent on translation machinery as they maintain their normal size when deprived of dRNaseZ activity, but rather display a cell cycle arrest at the G2-M transition.

Intracellular ribonucleases involved in transcript processing and decay: precision tools for RNA

In order to adapt to changing environmental conditions and regulate intracellular events such as division, cells are constantly producing new RNAs while discarding old or defective transcripts. These functions require the coordination of numerous ribonucleases that precisely cleave and trim newly made transcripts to produce functional molecules, and rapidly destroy unnecessary cellular RNAs. In recent years our knowledge of the nature, functions and structures of these enzymes in bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes has dramatically expanded. We present here a synthetic overview of the recent development in this dynamic area which has seen the identification of many new endoribonucleases and exoribonucleases. Moreover, the increasing pace at which the structures of these enzymes, or of their catalytic domains, have been solved has provided atomic level detail into their mechanisms of action. Based on sequence conservation and structural data, these proteins have been grouped into families, some of which contain only ribonuclease members, others including a variety of nucleolytic enzymes that act upon DNA and/or RNA. At the other extreme some ribonucleases belong to families of proteins involved in a wide variety of enzymatic reactions. Functional characterization of these fascinating enzymes has provided evidence for the extreme diversity of their biological functions that include, for example, removal of poly(A) tails (deadenylation) or poly(U) tails from eukaryotic RNAs, processing of tRNA and mRNA 3' ends, maturation of rRNAs and destruction of unnecessary mRNAs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA Decay mechanisms.

Multiple exoribonucleases catalyze maturation of the 3' terminus of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

Processing of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) precursors is an important component of RNA metabolism in all cells. However, in no system have we yet identified all the RNases involved in this process. Here, we show that four 3'→5'-exoribonucleases, RNases II, R, and PH, and polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), participate in maturation of the 3' end of 16S rRNA. In their absence, 16S precursor molecules with 33 extra 3'-nt accumulate; however, the presence of any one of the four RNases is sufficient to allow processing to occur, although with different efficiencies. Additionally, we find that in the absence of 3' maturation, 5' processing proceeds much less efficiently. Moreover, mutant 30S particles, containing immature 16S rRNA, form 70S ribosomes very poorly. These findings, together with the earlier discovery that RNases E and G are the 5'-processing enzymes, completes the catalogue of RNases involved in maturation of Escherichia coli 16S rRNA.

Bacillus subtilis mutants with knockouts of the genes encoding ribonucleases RNase Y and RNase J1 are viable, with major defects in cell morphology, sporulation, and competence

The genes encoding the ribonucleases RNase J1 and RNase Y have long been considered essential for Bacillus subtilis cell viability, even before there was concrete knowledge of their function as two of the most important enzymes for RNA turnover in this organism. Here we show that this characterization is incorrect and that ΔrnjA and Δrny mutants are both viable. As expected, both strains grow relatively slowly, with doubling times in the hour range in rich medium. Knockout mutants have major defects in their sporulation and competence development programs. Both mutants are hypersensitive to a wide range of antibiotics and have dramatic alterations to their cell morphologies, suggestive of cell envelope defects. Indeed, RNase Y mutants are significantly smaller in diameter than wild-type strains and have a very disordered peptidoglycan layer. Strains lacking RNase J1 form long filaments in tight spirals, reminiscent of mutants of the actin-like proteins (Mre) involved in cell shape determination. Finally, we combined the rnjA and rny mutations with mutations in other components of the degradation machinery and show that many of these strains are also viable. The implications for the two known RNA degradation pathways of B. subtilis are discussed.

Essential genes in Bacillus subtilis: a re-evaluation after ten years

In 2003, an initial study on essential genes in the Gram-positive model bacterium described 271 genes as essential. In the past decade, the functions of many unknown genes and their encoded proteins have been elucidated. Moreover, detailed analyses have revealed that 31 genes that were thought to be essential are in fact non-essential whereas 20 novel essential genes have been described. Thus, 261 genes coding for 259 proteins and two functional RNAs are regarded essential as of January 2013. Among the essential proteins, the largest group is involved in protein synthesis, secretion and protein quality control. Other large sets of essential proteins are involved in lipid biosynthesis, cell wall metabolism and cell division, and DNA replication. Another interesting group of essential proteins protects the cell against endogenous toxic proteins, metabolites, or other intermediates. There are only six essential proteins in B. subtilis, for which no function is known. The functional analysis of these important proteins is predicted to be a key issue in the research on this model organism in the coming years.

Exoribonuclease and endoribonuclease activities of RNase BN/RNase Z both function in vivo

Escherichia coli RNase BN, a member of the RNase Z family of endoribonucleases, differs from other family members in that it also can act as an exoribonuclease in vitro. Here, we examine whether this activity of RNase BN also functions in vivo. Comparison of the x-ray structure of RNase BN with that of Bacillus subtilis RNase Z, which lacks exoribonuclease activity, revealed that RNase BN has a narrower and more rigid channel downstream of the catalytic site. We hypothesized that this difference in the putative RNA exit channel might be responsible for the acquisition of exoribonuclease activity by RNase BN. Accordingly, we generated several mutant RNase BN proteins in which residues within a loop in this channel were converted to the corresponding residues present in B. subtilis RNase Z, thus widening the channel and increasing its flexibility. The resulting mutant RNase BN proteins had reduced or were essentially devoid of exoribonuclease activity in vitro. Substitution of one mutant rbn gene (P142G) for wild type rbn in the E. coli chromosome revealed that the exoribonuclease activity of RNase BN is not required for maturation of phage T4 tRNA precursors, a known specific function of this RNase. On the other hand, removal of the exoribonuclease activity of RNase BN in a cell lacking other processing RNases leads to slower growth and affects maturation of multiple tRNA precursors. These findings help explain how RNase BN can act as both an exo- and an endoribonuclease and also demonstrate that its exoribonuclease activity is capable of functioning in vivo, thus widening the potential role of this enzyme in E. coli.

RNA degradation in Bacillus subtilis: an interplay of essential endo- and exoribonucleases

RNA processing and degradation are key processes in the control of transcript accumulation and thus in the control of gene expression. In Escherichia coli, the underlying mechanisms and components of RNA decay are well characterized. By contrast, Gram-positive bacteria do not possess several important players of E. coli RNA degradation, most notably the essential enzyme RNase E. Recent research on the model Gram-positive organism, Bacillus subtilis, has identified the essential RNases J1 and Y as crucial enzymes in RNA degradation. While RNase J1 is the first bacterial exoribonuclease with 5'-to-3' processivity, RNase Y is the founding member of a novel class of endoribonucleases. Both RNase J1 and RNase Y have a broad impact on the stability of B. subtilis mRNAs; a depletion of either enzyme affects more than 25% of all mRNAs. RNases J1 and Y as well as RNase J2, the polynucleotide phosphorylase PNPase, the RNA helicase CshA and the glycolytic enzymes enolase and phosphofructokinase have been proposed to form a complex, the RNA degradosome of B. subtilis. This review presents a model, based on recent published data, of RNA degradation in B. subtilis. Degradation is initiated by RNase Y-dependent endonucleolytic cleavage, followed by processive exoribonucleolysis of the generated fragments both in 3'-to-5' and in 5'-to-3' directions. The implications of these findings for pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria are also discussed.

Novel one-step mechanism for tRNA 3'-end maturation by the exoribonuclease RNase R of Mycoplasma genitalium

Mycoplasma genitalium is expected to metabolize RNA using unique pathways because its minimal genome encodes very few ribonucleases. In this work, we report that the only exoribonuclease identified in M. genitalium, RNase R, is able to remove tRNA 3'-trailers and generate mature 3'-ends. Several sequence and structural features of a tRNA precursor determine its precise processing at the 3'-end by RNase R in a purified system. The aminoacyl-acceptor stem plays a major role in stopping RNase R digestion at the mature 3'-end. Disruption of the stem causes partial or complete degradation of the pre-tRNA by RNase R, whereas extension of the stem results in the formation of a product terminating downstream at the new mature 3'-end. In addition, the 3'-terminal CCA sequence and the discriminator residue influence the ability of RNase R to stop at the mature 3'-end. RNase R-mediated generation of the mature 3'-end prefers a sequence of RCCN at the 3' terminus of tRNA. Variations of this sequence may cause RNase R to trim further and remove terminal CA residues from the mature 3'-end. Therefore, M. genitalium RNase R can precisely remove the 3'-trailer of a tRNA precursor by recognizing features in the terminal domains of tRNA, a process requiring multiple RNases in most bacteria.

The cutting crew - ribonucleases are key players in the control of plastid gene expression

Chloroplast biogenesis requires constant adjustment of RNA homeostasis under conditions of on-going developmental and environmental change and its regulation is achieved mainly by post-transcriptional control mechanisms mediated by various nucleus-encoded ribonucleases. More than 180 ribonucleases are annotated in Arabidopsis, but only 17 are predicted to localize to the chloroplast. Although different ribonucleases act at different RNA target sites in vivo, most nucleases that attack RNA are thought to lack intrinsic cleavage specificity and show non-specific activity in vitro. In vivo, specificity is thought to be imposed by auxiliary RNA-binding proteins, including members of the huge pentatricopeptide repeat family, which protect RNAs from non-specific nucleolytic attack by masking otherwise vulnerable sites. RNA stability is also influenced by secondary structure, polyadenylation, and ribosome binding. Ribonucleases may cleave at internal sites (endonucleases) or digest successively from the 5' or 3' end of the polynucleotide chain (exonucleases). In bacteria, RNases act in the maturation of rRNA and tRNA precursors, as well as in initiating the degradation of mRNAs and small non-coding RNAs. Many ribonucleases in the chloroplasts of higher plants possess homologies to their bacterial counterparts, but their precise functions have rarely been described. However, many ribonucleases present in the chloroplast process polycistronic rRNAs, tRNAs, and mRNAs. The resulting production of monocistronic, translationally competent mRNAs may represent an adaptation to the eukaryotic cellular environment. This review provides a basic overview of the current knowledge of RNases in plastids and highlights gaps to stimulate future studies.

A survey of green plant tRNA 3'-end processing enzyme tRNase Zs, homologs of the candidate prostate cancer susceptibility protein ELAC2

Background

tRNase Z removes the 3'-trailer sequences from precursor tRNAs, which is an essential step preceding the addition of the CCA sequence. tRNase Z exists in the short (tRNase Z^S) and long (tRNase Z^L) forms. Based on the sequence characteristics, they can be divided into two major types: bacterial-type tRNase Z^S and eukaryotic-type tRNase Z^L, and one minor type, Thermotoga maritima (TM)-type tRNase Z^S. The number of tRNase Zs is highly variable, with the largest number being identified experimentally in the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana. It is unknown whether multiple tRNase Zs found in A. thaliana is common to the plant kingdom. Also unknown is the extent of sequence and structural conservation among tRNase Zs from the plant kingdom.

Results

We report the identification and analysis of candidate tRNase Zs in 27 fully sequenced genomes of green plants, the great majority of which are flowering plants. It appears that green plants contain multiple distinct tRNase Zs predicted to reside in different subcellular compartments. Furthermore, while the bacterial-type tRNase Z^Ss are present only in basal land plants and green algae, the TM-type tRNase Z^Ss are widespread in green plants. The protein sequences of the TM-type tRNase Z^Ss identified in green plants are similar to those of the bacterial-type tRNase Z^Ss but have distinct features, including the TM-type flexible arm, the variant catalytic HEAT and HST motifs, and a lack of the PxKxRN motif involved in CCA anti-determination (inhibition of tRNase Z activity by CCA), which prevents tRNase Z cleavage of mature tRNAs. Examination of flowering plant chloroplast tRNA genes reveals that many of these genes encode partial CCA sequences. Based on our results and previous studies, we predict that the plant TM-type tRNase Z^Ss may not recognize the CCA sequence as an anti-determinant.

Conclusions

Our findings substantially expand the current repertoire of the TM-type tRNase Z^Ss and hint at the possibility that these proteins may have been selected for their ability to process chloroplast pre-tRNAs with whole or partial CCA sequences. Our results also support the coevolution of tRNase Zs and tRNA 3'-trailer sequences in plants.

Mutational analysis of glucose transport regulation and glucose-mediated virulence gene repression in Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes transports glucose/mannose via non-PTS permeases and phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase systems (PTS). Two mannose class PTS are encoded by the constitutively expressed mpoABCD and the inducible manLMN operons. The man operon encodes the main glucose transporter because manL or manM deletion significantly slows glucose utilization, whereas mpoA deletion has no effect. The PTS(Mpo) mainly functions as a constitutively synthesized glucose sensor controlling man operon expression by phosphorylating and interacting with ManR, a LevR-like transcription activator. EIIB(Mpo) plays a dual role in ManR regulation: P~EIIB(Mpo) prevailing in the absence of glucose phosphorylates and thereby inhibits ManR activity, whereas unphosphorylated EIIB(Mpo) prevailing during glucose uptake is needed to render ManR active. In contrast to mpoA, deletion of mpoB therefore strongly inhibits man operon expression and glucose consumption. A ΔptsI (EI) mutant consumes glucose at an even slower rate probably via GlcU-like non-PTS transporters. Interestingly, deletion of ptsI, manL, manM or mpoB causes elevated PrfA-mediated virulence gene expression. The PTS(Man) is the major player in glucose-mediated PrfA inhibition because the ΔmpoA mutant showed normal PrfA activity. The four mutants showing PrfA derepression contain no or only little unphosphorylated EIIAB(Man) (ManL), which probably plays a central role in glucose-mediated PrfA regulation.

tRNA biology charges to the front

tRNA biology has come of age, revealing an unprecedented level of understanding and many unexpected discoveries along the way. This review highlights new findings on the diverse pathways of tRNA maturation, and on the formation and function of a number of modifications. Topics of special focus include the regulation of tRNA biosynthesis, quality control tRNA turnover mechanisms, widespread tRNA cleavage pathways activated in response to stress and other growth conditions, emerging evidence of signaling pathways involving tRNA and cleavage fragments, and the sophisticated intracellular tRNA trafficking that occurs during and after biosynthesis.

Identification and analysis of candidate fungal tRNA 3'-end processing endonucleases tRNase Zs, homologs of the putative prostate cancer susceptibility protein ELAC2

BACKGROUND

tRNase Z is the endonuclease that is responsible for the 3'-end processing of tRNA precursors, a process essential for tRNA 3'-CCA addition and subsequent tRNA aminoacylation. Based on their sizes, tRNase Zs can be divided into the long (tRNase ZL) and short (tRNase ZS) forms. tRNase ZL is thought to have arisen from a tandem gene duplication of tRNase ZS with further sequence divergence. The species distribution of tRNase Z is complex. Fungi represent an evolutionarily diverse group of eukaryotes. The recent proliferation of fungal genome sequences provides an opportunity to explore the structural and functional diversity of eukaryotic tRNase Zs.

RESULTS

We report a survey and analysis of candidate tRNase Zs in 84 completed fungal genomes, spanning a broad diversity of fungi. We find that tRNase ZL is present in all fungi we have examined, whereas tRNase ZS exists only in the fungal phyla Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Zygomycota. Furthermore, we find that unlike the Pezizomycotina and Saccharomycotina, which contain a single tRNase ZL, Schizosaccharomyces fission yeasts (Taphrinomycotina) contain two tRNase ZLs encoded by two different tRNase ZL genes. These two tRNase ZLs are most likely localized to the nucleus and mitochondria, respectively, suggesting partitioning of tRNase Z function between two different tRNase ZLs in fission yeasts. The fungal tRNase Z phylogeny suggests that tRNase ZSs are ancestral to tRNase ZLs. Additionally, the evolutionary relationship of fungal tRNase ZLs is generally consistent with known phylogenetic relationships among the fungal species and supports tRNase ZL gene duplication in certain fungal taxa, including Schizosaccharomyces fission yeasts. Analysis of tRNase Z protein sequences reveals putative atypical substrate binding domains in most fungal tRNase ZSs and in a subset of fungal tRNase ZLs. Finally, we demonstrate the presence of pseudo-substrate recognition and catalytic motifs at the N-terminal halves of tRNase ZLs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study describes the first comprehensive identification and sequence analysis of candidate fungal tRNase Zs. Our results support the proposal that tRNase ZL has evolved as a result of duplication and diversification of the tRNase ZS gene.

Mode of action of RNase BN/RNase Z on tRNA precursors: RNase BN does not remove the CCA sequence from tRNA

RNase BN, the Escherichia coli homolog of RNase Z, was previously shown to act as both a distributive exoribonuclease and an endoribonuclease on model RNA substrates and to be inhibited by the presence of a 3'-terminal CCA sequence. Here, we examined the mode of action of RNase BN on bacteriophage and bacterial tRNA precursors, particularly in light of a recent report suggesting that RNase BN removes CCA sequences (Takaku, H., and Nashimoto, M. (2008) Genes Cells 13, 1087-1097). We show that purified RNase BN can process both CCA-less and CCA-containing tRNA precursors. On CCA-less precursors, RNase BN cleaved endonucleolytically after the discriminator nucleotide to allow subsequent CCA addition. On CCA-containing precursors, RNase BN acted as either an exoribonuclease or endoribonuclease depending on the nature of the added divalent cation. Addition of Co(2+) resulted in higher activity and predominantly exoribonucleolytic activity, whereas in the presence of Mg(2+), RNase BN was primarily an endoribonuclease. In no case was any evidence obtained for removal of the CCA sequence. Certain tRNA precursors were extremely poor substrates under any conditions tested. These findings provide important information on the ability of RNase BN to process tRNA precursors and help explain the known physiological properties of this enzyme. In addition, they call into question the removal of CCA sequences by RNase BN.

The critical role of RNA processing and degradation in the control of gene expression

The continuous degradation and synthesis of prokaryotic mRNAs not only give rise to the metabolic changes that are required as cells grow and divide but also rapid adaptation to new environmental conditions. In bacteria, RNAs can be degraded by mechanisms that act independently, but in parallel, and that target different sites with different efficiencies. The accessibility of sites for degradation depends on several factors, including RNA higher-order structure, protection by translating ribosomes and polyadenylation status. Furthermore, RNA degradation mechanisms have shown to be determinant for the post-transcriptional control of gene expression. RNases mediate the processing, decay and quality control of RNA. RNases can be divided into endonucleases that cleave the RNA internally or exonucleases that cleave the RNA from one of the extremities. Just in Escherichia coli there are >20 different RNases. RNase E is a single-strand-specific endonuclease critical for mRNA decay in E. coli. The enzyme interacts with the exonuclease polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), enolase and RNA helicase B (RhlB) to form the degradosome. However, in Bacillus subtilis, this enzyme is absent, but it has other main endonucleases such as RNase J1 and RNase III. RNase III cleaves double-stranded RNA and family members are involved in RNA interference in eukaryotes. RNase II family members are ubiquitous exonucleases, and in eukaryotes, they can act as the catalytic subunit of the exosome. RNases act in different pathways to execute the maturation of rRNAs and tRNAs, and intervene in the decay of many different mRNAs and small noncoding RNAs. In general, RNases act as a global regulatory network extremely important for the regulation of RNA levels.

Initiation of decay of Bacillus subtilis rpsO mRNA by endoribonuclease RNase Y

rpsO mRNA, a small monocistronic mRNA that encodes ribosomal protein S15, was used to study aspects of mRNA decay initiation in Bacillus subtilis. Decay of rpsO mRNA in a panel of 3'-to-5' exoribonuclease mutants was analyzed using a 5'-proximal oligonucleotide probe and a series of oligonucleotide probes that were complementary to overlapping sequences starting at the 3' end. The results provided strong evidence that endonuclease cleavage in the body of the message, rather than degradation from the native 3' end, is the rate-determining step for mRNA decay. Subsequent to endonuclease cleavage, the upstream products were degraded by polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), and the downstream products were degraded by the 5' exonuclease activity of RNase J1. The rpsO mRNA half-life was unchanged in a strain that had decreased RNase J1 activity and no RNase J2 activity, but it was 2.3-fold higher in a strain with decreased activity of RNase Y, a recently discovered RNase of B. subtilis encoded by the ymdA gene. Accumulation of full-length rpsO mRNA and its decay intermediates was analyzed using a construct in which the rpsO transcription unit was under control of a bacitracin-inducible promoter. The results were consistent with RNase Y-mediated initiation of decay. This is the first report of a specific mRNA whose stability is determined by RNase Y.

Characterization of tRNA(Cys) processing in a conditional Bacillus subtilis CCase mutant reveals the participation of RNase R in its quality control

We generated a conditional CCase mutant of Bacillus subtilis to explore the participation in vivo of the tRNA nucleotidyltransferase (CCA transferase or CCase) in the maturation of the single-copy tRNA(Cys), which lacks an encoded CCA 3' end. We observed that shorter tRNA(Cys) species, presumably lacking CCA, only accumulated when the inducible Pspac : cca was introduced into an rnr mutant strain, but not in combination with pnp. We sequenced the tRNA 3' ends produced in the various mutant tRNA(Cys) species to detect maturation and decay intermediates and observed that decay of the tRNA(Cys) occurs through the addition of poly(A) or heteropolymeric tails. A few clones corresponding to full-size tRNAs contained either CCA or other C and/or A sequences, suggesting that these are substrates for repair and/or decay. We also observed editing of tRNA(Cys) at position 21, which seems to occur preferentially in mature tRNAs. Altogether, our results provide in vivo evidence for the participation of the B. subtilis cca gene product in the maturation of tRNAs lacking CCA. We also suggest that RNase R exoRNase in B. subtilis participates in the quality control of tRNA.

Inhibition of gene expression by RNase P

The ability to interfere with gene expression is of crucial importance to unravel the function of genes and is also a promising therapeutic strategy. Here we discuss methodologies for inhibition of target RNAs based on the cleavage activity of the essential enzyme, Ribonuclease P (RNase P). RNase P-mediated cleavage of target RNAs can be directed by external guide sequences (EGSs) or by the use of the catalytic M1 RNA from E. coli linked to a guide sequence (M1GSs). These are not only basic tools for functional genetic studies in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells but also promising antibacterial, anticancer and antiviral agents.

Functional conservation of tRNase ZL among Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and humans

Although tRNase Z from various organisms was shown to process nuclear tRNA 3' ends in vitro, only a very limited number of studies have reported its in vivo biological functions. tRNase Z is present in a short form, tRNase Z(S), and a long form, tRNase Z(L). Unlike Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which contains one tRNase Z(L) gene (scTRZ1) and humans, which contain one tRNase Z(L) encoded by the prostate-cancer susceptibility gene ELAC2 and one tRNase Z(S), Schizosaccharomyces pombe contains two tRNase Z(L) genes, designated sptrz1(+) and sptrz2(+). We report that both sptrz1(+) and sptrz2(+) are essential for growth. Moreover, sptrz1(+) is required for cell viability in the absence of Sla1p, which is thought to be required for endonuclease-mediated maturation of pre-tRNA 3' ends in yeast. Both scTRZ1 and ELAC2 can complement a temperature-sensitive allele of sptrz1(+), sptrz1-1, but not the sptrz1 null mutant, indicating that despite exhibiting species specificity, tRNase Z(L)s are functionally conserved among S. cerevisiae, S. pombe and humans. Overexpression of sptrz1(+), scTRZ1 and ELAC2 can increase suppression of the UGA nonsense mutation ade6-704 through facilitating 3' end processing of the defective suppressor tRNA that mediates suppression. Our findings reveal that 3' end processing is a limiting step for defective tRNA maturation and demonstrate that overexpression of sptrz1(+), scTRZ1 and ELAC2 can promote defective tRNA 3' processing in vivo. Our results also support the notion that yeast tRNase Z(L) is absolutely required for 3' end processing of at least a few pre-tRNAs even in the absence of Sla1p.

Processing and stability of inducibly expressed rpsO mRNA derivatives in Bacillus subtilis

The Bacillus subtilis rpsO gene specifies a small (388-nucleotide), monocistronic mRNA that encodes ribosomal protein S15. We showed earlier that rpsO mRNA decay intermediates accumulated to a high level in a strain lacking polynucleotide phosphorylase. Here, we used inducibly expressed derivatives of rpsO, encoding smaller RNAs that had the complex 5' region deleted, to study aspects of mRNA processing in B. subtilis. An IPTG (isopropyl-beta-d-thiogalactopyranoside)-inducible rpsO transcript that contained lac sequences at the 5' end, called lac-rpsO RNA, was shown to undergo processing to result in an RNA that was 24 nucleotides shorter than full length. Such processing was dependent on the presence of an accessible 5' terminus; a lac-rpsO RNA that contained a strong stem-loop at the 5' end was not processed and was extremely stable. Interestingly, this stability depended also on ribosome binding to a nearby Shine-Dalgarno sequence but was independent of downstream translation. Either RNase J1 or RNase J2 was capable of processing lac-rpsO RNA, demonstrating for the first time a particular in vivo processing event that could be catalyzed by both enzymes. Decay intermediates were detected in the pnpA strain only for a lac-rpsO RNA that was untranslated. Analysis of processing of an untranslated lac-rpsO RNA in the pnpA strain shortly after induction of transcription suggested that endonuclease cleavage at 3'-proximal sites was an early step in turnover of mRNA.