mRNA 5' terminal sequences drive 200-fold differences in expression through effects on synthesis, translation and decay

mRNA regulatory sequences control gene expression at multiple levels including translation initiation and mRNA decay. The 5' terminal sequences of mRNAs have unique regulatory potential because of their proximity to key post-transcriptional regulators. Here we have systematically probed the function of 5' terminal sequences in gene expression in human cells. Using a library of reporter mRNAs initiating with all possible 7-mer sequences at their 5' ends, we find an unexpected impact on transcription that underlies 200-fold differences in mRNA expression. Library sequences that promote high levels of transcription mirrored those found in native mRNAs and define two basic classes with similarities to classic Initiator (Inr) and TCT core promoter motifs. By comparing transcription, translation and decay rates, we identify sequences that are optimized for both efficient transcription and growth-regulated translation and stability, including variants of terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) motifs. We further show that 5' sequences of endogenous mRNAs are enriched for multi-functional TCT/TOP hybrid sequences. Together, our results reveal how 5' sequences define two general classes of mRNAs with distinct growth-responsive profiles of expression across synthesis, translation and decay.

Global analysis of LARP1 translation targets reveals tunable and dynamic features of 5' TOP motifs

Terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) motifs are sequences at the 5' ends of mRNAs that link their translation to the mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1) nutrient-sensing signaling pathway. They are commonly regarded as discrete elements that reside on ∼100 mRNAs that mostly encode translation factors. However, the full spectrum of TOP sequences and their prevalence throughout the transcriptome remain unclear, primarily because of uncertainty over the mechanism that detects them. Here, we globally analyzed translation targets of La-related protein 1 (LARP1), an RNA-binding protein and mTORC1 effector that has been shown to repress TOP mRNA translation in a few specific cases. We establish that LARP1 is the primary translation regulator of mRNAs with classical TOP motifs genome-wide, and also that these motifs are extreme instances of a broader continuum of regulatory sequences. We identify the features of TOP sequences that determine their potency and quantify these as a metric that accurately predicts mTORC1/LARP1 regulation called a TOPscore. Analysis of TOPscores across the transcriptomes of 16 mammalian tissues defines a constitutive "core" set of TOP mRNAs, but also identifies tissue-specific TOP mRNAs produced via alternative transcription initiation sites. These results establish the central role of LARP1 in TOP mRNA regulation on a transcriptome scale and show how it connects mTORC1 to a tunable and dynamic program of gene expression that is tailored to specific biological contexts.

Dom34-Hbs1 mediated dissociation of inactive 80S ribosomes promotes restart of translation after stress

Following translation termination, ribosomal subunits dissociate to become available for subsequent rounds of protein synthesis. In many translation-inhibiting stress conditions, e.g. glucose starvation in yeast, free ribosomal subunits reassociate to form a large pool of non-translating 80S ribosomes stabilized by the 'clamping' Stm1 factor. The subunits of these inactive ribosomes need to be mobilized for translation restart upon stress relief. The Dom34-Hbs1 complex, together with the Rli1 NTPase (also known as ABCE1), have been shown to split ribosomes stuck on mRNAs in the context of RNA quality control mechanisms. Here, using in vitro and in vivo methods, we report a new role for the Dom34-Hbs1 complex and Rli1 in dissociating inactive ribosomes, thereby facilitating translation restart in yeast recovering from glucose starvation stress. Interestingly, we found that this new role is not restricted to stress conditions, indicating that in growing yeast there is a dynamic pool of inactive ribosomes that needs to be split by Dom34-Hbs1 and Rli1 to participate in protein synthesis. We propose that this provides a new level of translation regulation.