Loss of rRNA modifications in the decoding center of the ribosome impairs translation and strongly delays pre-rRNA processing.

Full Abstract

The ribosome decoding center is rich in modified rRNA nucleotides and little is known about their effects. Here, we examine the consequences of systematically deleting eight pseudouridine and 2'-O-methylation modifications in the yeast decoding center. Loss of most modifications individually has no apparent effect on cell growth. However, deletions of 2-3 modifications in the A- and P-site regions can cause (1) reduced growth rates (approximately 15%-50% slower); (2) reduced amino acid incorporation rates (14%-24% slower); and (3) a significant deficiency in free small subunits. Negative and positive interference effects were observed, as well as strong positional influences. Notably, blocking formation of a hypermodified pseudouridine in the P region delays the onset of the final cleavage event in 18S rRNA formation ( approximately 60% slower), suggesting that modification at this site could have an important role in modulating ribosome synthesis.

Author information

Author/s: Liang, Xue-Hai (XH); Liu, Qing (Q); Fournier, Maurille J (MJ);

Affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.

Grants: GM19351 (Agency:NIGMS NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: RNA (New York, N.Y.) (RNA), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 15 (issue 9) : pp 1716-28

Dates: Created 2009/08/18; Completed 2009/09/10; Revised 2009/09/15;

PMID: 19628622, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/16/2009, IMS Date: )

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