| 1. |
- Hauryliuk, Vasili, et al.
(author)
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Co-factor dependent conformational switching of GTPases
- 2008
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 95:4, s. 1704-1715
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This theoretical work covers structural and biochemical aspects of nucleotide binding and GDP/GTP exchange of GTP hydrolases belonging to the family of small GTPases. Current models of GDP/GTP exchange regulation are often based on two specific assumptions. The first is that the conformation of a GTPase is switched by the exchange of the bound nucleotide from GDP to GTP or vice versa. The second is that GDP/GTP exchange is regulated by a guanine nucleotide exchange factor, which stabilizes a GTPase conformation with low nucleotide affinity. Since, however, recent biochemical and structural data seem to contradict this view, we present a generalized scheme for GTPase action. This novel ansatz accounts for those important cases when conformational switching in addition to guanine nucleotide exchange requires the presence of cofactors, and gives a more nuanced picture of how the nucleotide exchange is regulated. The scheme is also used to discuss some problems of interpretation that may arise when guanine nucleotide exchange mechanisms are inferred from experiments with analogs of GTP, like GDPNP, GDPCP, and GDP gamma S.
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| 2. |
- Hauryliuk, Vasili, et al.
(author)
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The pretranslocation ribosome is targeted by GTP-bound EF-G in partially activated form.
- 2008
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 105:41, s. 15678-83
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Translocation of the tRNA x mRNA complex through the bacterial ribosome is driven by the multidomain guanosine triphosphatase elongation factor G (EF-G). We have used isothermal titration calorimetry to characterize the binding of GDP and GTP to free EF-G at 4 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 37 degrees C. The binding affinity of EF-G is higher to GDP than to GTP at 4 degrees C, but lower at 37 degrees C. The binding enthalpy and entropy change little with temperature in the case of GDP binding but change greatly in the case of GTP binding. These observations are compatible with a large decrease in the solvent-accessible hydrophobic surface area of EF-G on GTP, but not GDP, binding. The explanation we propose is the locking of the switch 1 and switch 2 peptide loops in the G domain of EF-G to the gamma-phosphate of GTP. From these data, in conjunction with previously reported structural data on guanine nucleotide-bound EF-G, we suggest that EF-G enters the pretranslocation ribosome as an "activity chimera," with the G domain activated by the presence of GTP but the overall factor conformation in the inactive form typical of a GDP-bound multidomain guanosine triphosphatase. We propose that the active overall conformation of EF-G is attained only in complex with the ribosome in its "ratcheted state," with hybrid tRNA binding sites.
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| 3. |
- Ivanova, Natalia, et al.
(author)
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Structure probing of tmRNA in distinct stages of trans-translation
- 2007
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In: RNA. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. - 1355-8382 .- 1469-9001. ; 13:5, s. 713-722
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ribosomes stalled on problematic mRNAs in bacterial cells can be rescued by transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA), its helperprotein (small protein B, SmpB), and elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) through a mechanism called trans-translation. In this work weused lead(II) footprinting to probe the interactions of tmRNA with SmpB and other components of the translation machinery atdifferent steps of the trans-translation cycle. Ribosomes with a short nascent peptide stalled on a truncated mRNA were reactedwith Ala-tmRNA EF-Tu GTP, SmpB, and other translation components to initiate and execute trans-translation. Free tmRNA was d dprobed with lead(II) acetate with and without SmpB, and ribosome bound tmRNA was probed in one of four different trans-translation states stabilized by antibiotic addition or selective exclusion of translation components. For comparison, we alsoanalyzed lead(II) cleavage patterns of tmRNA in vivo in a wild-type as well as in an SmpB-deficient Escherichia coli strain. Weobserved some specific cleavages/protections in tmRNA for the individual steps of trans-translation, but the overall tmRNAconformation appeared to be similar in the stages analyzed. Our findings suggest that, in vivo, a dominant fraction of tmRNA isin complex with SmpB and that, in vitro, SmpB remains tmRNA bound at the initial steps of trans-translation.
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| 4. |
- Johansson, Magnus, et al.
(author)
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The kinetics of ribosomal peptidyl transfer revisited
- 2008
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In: Molecular Cell. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-2765 .- 1097-4164. ; 30:5, s. 589-598
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The speed of protein synthesis determines the growth rate of bacteria. Current biochemical estimates of the rate of protein elongation are small and incompatible with the rate of protein elongation in the living cell. With a cell-free system for protein synthesis, optimized for speed and accuracy, we have estimated the rate of peptidyl transfer from a peptidyl-tRNA in P site to a cognate aminoacyl-tRNA in A site at various temperatures. We have found these rates to be much larger than previously measured and fully compatible with the speed of protein elongation for E. coli cells growing in rich medium. We have found large activation enthalpy and small activation entropy for peptidyl transfer, similar to experimental estimates of these parameters for A site analogs of aminoacyl-tRNA. Our work has opened a useful kinetic window for biochemical studies of protein synthesis, bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo data on ribosome function.
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| 5. |
- Nilsson, Karin, et al.
(author)
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A novel mechanism for activator-controlled initiation of DNA replication that resolves the auto-regulation sequestration paradox
- 2008
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In: ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL BIOLOGY: BIOLOGICAL WATER, PROTEIN SOLUTIONS, TRANSPORT AND REPLICATION. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg. - 9783540787648 ; , s. 189-213
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- For bacterial genes to be inherited to the next bacterial generation, the gene containing DNA sequences must be duplicated before cell division so that each daughter cell contains a complete set of genes. The duplication process is called DNA replication and it starts at one defined site on the DNA molecule called the origin of replication (oriC) [1]. In addition to chromosomal DNA, bacteria often also contain plasmid DNA. Plasmids are extra-chromosomal DNA molecules carrying genes that increase the fitness of their host in certain environments, with genes encoding antibiotic resistance as a notorious example [2]. The chromosome is found at a low per cell copy number and initiation of replication takes place synchronously once every cell generation [3,4], while many plasmids exist at a high copy number and replication initiates asynchronously, throughout the cell generation [5]. In this chapter we present a novel mechanism for the control of initiation of replication, where one type of molecule may activate a round of replication by binding to the origin of replication and also regulate its own synthesis accurately. This mechanism of regulating the initiation of replication also offers a novel solution to the so-called auto-regulation sequestration paradox, i.e. how a molecule sequestered by binding to DNA may at the same time accurately regulate its own synthesis [6]. The novel regulatory mechanism is inspired by the molecular set-up of the replication control of the chromosome in the bacteriumEscherichia coli and is here transferred into a plasmid model. This allows us to illustrate principles of replication control in a simple way and to put the novel mechanism into the context of a previous analysis of plasmids regulated by inhibitor-dilution copy number control [7]. We analyze factors important for a sensitive response of the replication initiation rate to changes in plasmid concentration in an asynchronous model and discover a novel mechanism for creating a high sensitivity. We further relate sensitivity to initiation synchrony in a synchronous model. Finally, we discuss the relevance of these findings for the control of chromosomal replication in bacteria.
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| 6. |
- Pavlov, Michael Y, et al.
(author)
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Complementary roles of initiation factor 1 and ribosome recycling factor in 70S ribosome splitting
- 2008
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In: EMBO Journal. - : Wiley. - 0261-4189 .- 1460-2075. ; 27:12, s. 1706-1717
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We demonstrate that ribosomes containing a messenger RNA (mRNA) with a strong Shine-Dalgarno sequence are rapidly split into subunits by initiation factors 1 (IF1) and 3 (IF3), but slowly split by ribosome recycling factor (RRF) and elongation factor G (EF-G). Post-termination-like (PTL) ribosomes containing mRNA and a P-site-bound deacylated transfer RNA (tRNA) are split very rapidly by RRF and EF-G, but extremely slowly by IF1 and IF3. Vacant ribosomes are split by RRF/EF-G much more slowly than PTL ribosomes and by IF1/IF3 much more slowly than mRNA-containing ribosomes. These observations reveal complementary splitting of different ribosomal complexes by IF1/IF3 and RRF/EF-G, and suggest the existence of two major pathways for ribosome splitting into subunits in the living cell. We show that the identity of the deacylated tRNA in the PTL ribosome strongly affects the rate by which it is split by RRF/EF-G and that IF3 is involved in the mechanism of ribosome splitting by IF1/IF3 but not by RRF/EF-G. With support from our experimental data, we discuss the principally different mechanisms of ribosome splitting by IF1/IF3 and by RRF/EF-G.
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| 7. |
- Elf, Johan, 1975-
(author)
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Intracellular Flows and Fluctuations
- 2004
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Mathematical models are now gaining in importance for descriptions of biological processes. In this thesis, such models have been used to identify and analyze principles that govern bacterial protein synthesis under amino acid limitation. New techniques, that are generally applicable for analysis of intrinsic fluctuations in systems of chemical reactions, are also presented. It is shown how multi-substrate reactions, such as protein synthesis, may display zero order kinetics below saturation, because an increase in one substrate pool is compensated by a decrease in another, so that the overall flow is unchanged. Under those conditions, metabolite pools display hyper sensitivity and large fluctuations, unless metabolite synthesis is carefully regulated. It is demonstrated that flow coupling in protein synthesis has consequences for transcriptional control of amino acid biosynthetic operons, accuracy of mRNA translation and the stringent response. Flow coupling also determines the choices of synonymous codons in a number of cases. The reason is that tRNA isoacceptors, cognate to the same amino acid, often read different codons and become deacylated to very different degrees when their amino acid is limiting for protein synthesis. This was demonstrated theoretically and used to successfully predict the choices of control codons in ribosome mediated transcriptional attenuation and codon bias in stress response genes. New tools for the analysis of internal fluctuations have been forged, most importantly, an efficient Monte Carlo algorithm for simulation of the Markov-process corresponding to the reaction-diffusion master equation. The algorithm makes it feasible to analyze stochastic kinetics in spatially extended systems. It was used to demonstrate that bi-stable chemical systems can display spontaneous domain separation also in three spatial dimensions. This analysis reveals geometrical constraints on biochemical memory circuits built from bistable systems. Further, biochemical applications of the Fokker-Planck equation and the Linear Noise Approximation have been explored.
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| 8. |
- Pavlov, Michael, et al.
(author)
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A recent intermezzo at the Ribosome Club
- 2017
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In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8436 .- 1471-2970. ; 372:1716
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two sets of ribosome structures have recently led to two different interpretations of what limits the accuracy of codon translation by transfer RNAs. In this review, inspired by this intermezzo at the Ribosome Club, we briefly discuss accuracy amplification by energy driven proofreading and its implementation in genetic code translation. We further discuss general ways by which the monitoring bases of 16S rRNA may enhance the ultimate accuracy (d-values) and how the codon translation accuracy is reduced by the actions of Mg2+ ions and the presence of error inducing aminoglycoside antibiotics. We demonstrate that complete freezing-in of cognate-like tautomeric states of ribosome-bound nucleotide bases in transfer RNA or messenger RNA is not compatible with recent experiments on initial codon selection by transfer RNA in ternary complex with elongation factor Tu and GTP. From these considerations, we suggest that the sets of 30S subunit structures from the Ramakrishnan group and 70S structures from the Yusupov/Yusupova group may, after all, reflect two sides of the same coin and how the structurally based intermezzo at the Ribosome Club may be resolved simply by taking the dynamic aspects of ribosome function into account. This article is part of the themed issue 'Perspectives on the ribosome'.
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| 9. |
- Fange, David, 1978-
(author)
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Modelling Approaches to Molecular Systems Biology
- 2010
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Implementation and analysis of mathematical models can serve as a powerful tool in understanding how intracellular processes in bacteria affect the bacterial phenotype. In this thesis I have implemented and analysed models of a number of different parts of the bacterium E. coli in order to understand these types of connections. I have also developed new tools for analysis of stochastic reaction-diffusion models. Resistance mutations in the E. coli ribosomes make the bacteria less susceptible to treatment with the antibiotic drug erythromycin compared to bacteria carrying wildtype ribosomes. The effect is dependent on efficient drug efflux pumps. In the absence of pumps for erythromycin, there is no difference in growth between wildtype and drug target resistant bacteria. I present a model explaining this unexpected phenotype, and also give the conditions for its occurrence. Stochastic fluctuations in gene expression in bacteria, such as E. coli, result in stochastic fluctuations in biosynthesis pathways. I have characterised the effect of stochastic fluctuations in the parallel biosynthesis pathways of amino acids. I show how the average protein synthesis rate decreases with an increasing number of fluctuating amino acid production pathways. I further show how the cell can remedy this problem by using sensitive feedback control of transcription, and by optimising its expression levels of amino acid biosynthetic enzymes. The pole-to-pole oscillations of the Min-proteins in E. coli are required for accurate mid-cell division. The phenotype of the Min-oscillations is altered in three different mutants: filamentous cells, round cells and cells with changed membrane lipid composition. I have shown that the wildtype and mutant phenotypes can be explained using a stochastic reaction-diffusion model. In E. coli, the transcription elongation rate on the ribosmal RNA operon increases with increasing transcription initiation rate. In addition, the polymerase density varies along the ribosomal RNA operons. I present a DNA sequence dependent model that explains the transcription elongation rate speed-up, and also the density variation along the ribosomal operons. Both phenomena are explained by the RNA polymerase backtracking on the DNA.
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| 10. |
- Bouakaz, Elli, 1974-
(author)
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Choice of tRNA on Translating Ribosomes
- 2006
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis addresses different aspects of the question about accuracy of protein synthesis: i) the mechanism of tRNA selection during translation ii) study of ribosomal mutations that affect accuracy and iii) the choice of aminoacyl-tRNA isoacceptors on synonymous codons.By measuring the codon reading efficiencies of cognate and near-cognate ternary complexes we demonstrate that in optimal physiological conditions accuracy of substrate selection is much higher than previously reported; that during translation the ribosomal A site is not blocked by unspecific binding of the non-cognate tRNAs which would inhibit the speed of protein synthesis. Our results suggest that there is an asymmetry between initial selection and proofreading step concerning the wobble position, and that binding of non-cognate substrate does not induce GTP hydrolysis on the ribosome.The knowledge obtained from the ribosomal mutant strains can be used to explain the general relation between the structure of the ribosome and the mechanism of codon recognition, as well as the streptomycin resistance or dependence phenomenon.Our work showed experimentally that the probability for binding certain tRNA to the A site of the ribosome is not based on the simple codon-anticodon base pair matching. In the living cell the availability of cognate tRNAs versus the demand for them (the frequency of codon usage) is finely balanced to ensure critical protein synthesis in stress conditions. We have also discovered a new codon assignment for a specific tRNALeu isoacceptor and detected a base modification in its anticodon, which has not been previously observed. The motivation for the later findings comes from a system biology modeling and the results are an example of an interdisciplinary collaboration.
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