Abstract

In all cells, proteins are synthesized by ribosomes, megadalton RNA-protein machines that use aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) substrates to translate messenger RNA (mRNA). In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in elucidating the structure of the ribosome in the absence and presence of substrates and various translation factors. Despite this wealth of structural information, several important questions about translation elongation and the role of rRNA in this process remain open.
Aim 1 of this proposal is to determine the role of 16S rRNA in decoding. A number of mutations in 16S rRNA that increase misreading in vivo will be characterized in vitro. The data obtained may reveal how signaling between the 30S A site and elongation factor EF-Tu is mediated.
Aim 2 of this proposal is to determine the molecular basis of ribosomal """"""""unlocking,"""""""" which limits the rate of translocation. Nine inter-subunit bridge mutations and four 30S neck mutations will be thoroughly characterized with respect to factor-independent and factor-dependent translocation in vitro. The data obtained will identify those ribosome- ribosome contacts contributing to the energy barrier for translocation and may help uncover the molecular basis of unlocking. Ribosomes are a main target of antibiotics, and defects in translation are associated with a growing number of inherited human diseases and cancers. Insight gained by this project may lead to the development of novel antimicrobial drugs and/or treatments for one or more hereditary diseases.

Public Health Relevance

One of the largest challenges facing modern medicine is the emergence of antibiotic resistance, and many classes of medically useful antibiotics target the ribosome. Defects in protein synthesis have been attributed to many inherited human diseases, and a growing body of evidence suggests that alteration in ribosome biogenesis and/or activity plays an important role in the development of several cancers. Insight gained from this project may (1) aid efforts to develop novel antibiotics and/or therapy regimes to combat pathogens with multiple-drug resistance and (2) contribute to the treatment and/or prevention of one or more hereditary diseases and/or cancers.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01GM072528-06
Application #
7780478
Study Section
Molecular Genetics A Study Section (MGA)
Program Officer
Bender, Michael T
Project Start
2005-04-01
Project End
2014-03-31
Budget Start
2010-04-01
Budget End
2011-03-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$304,353
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Ohio State University
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
832127323
City
Columbus
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
43210

  Publications

Vo, My-Nuong; Terrey, Markus; Lee, Jeong Woong et al. (2018) ANKRD16 prevents neuron loss caused by an editing-defective tRNA synthetase. Nature 557:510-515
Dai, Xiongfeng; Zhu, Manlu; Warren, Mya et al. (2018) Slowdown of Translational Elongation in Escherichia coli under Hyperosmotic Stress. MBio 9:
Gibbs, Michelle R; Fredrick, Kurt (2018) Roles of elusive translational GTPases come to light and inform on the process of ribosome biogenesis in bacteria. Mol Microbiol 107:445-454
Ying, Lanqing; Zhu, Hongkun; Shoji, Shinichiro et al. (2018) Roles of specific aminoglycoside-ribosome interactions in the inhibition of translation. RNA :
Hoffer, Eric D; Maehigashi, Tatsuya; Fredrick, Kurt et al. (2018) Ribosomal ambiguity (ram) mutations promote the open (off) to closed (on) transition and thereby increase miscoding. Nucleic Acids Res :
Chen, Menglin; Fredrick, Kurt (2018) Measures of single- versus multiple-round translation argue against a mechanism to ensure coupling of transcription and translation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115:10774-10779
Gibbs, Michelle R; Moon, Kyung-Mee; Chen, Menglin et al. (2017) Conserved GTPase LepA (Elongation Factor 4) functions in biogenesis of the 30S subunit of the 70S ribosome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:980-985
Fleming, Ian M C; Paris, Zden?k; Gaston, Kirk W et al. (2016) A tRNA methyltransferase paralog is important for ribosome stability and cell division in Trypanosoma brucei. Sci Rep 6:21438
Dai, Xiongfeng; Zhu, Manlu; Warren, Mya et al. (2016) Reduction of translating ribosomes enables Escherichia coli to maintain elongation rates during slow growth. Nat Microbiol 2:16231
Liu, Qi; Fredrick, Kurt (2016) Intersubunit Bridges of the Bacterial Ribosome. J Mol Biol 428:2146-64

Showing the most recent 10 out of 39 publications