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| 2. |
- Alkemar, Gunnar, et al.
(author)
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Probing the secondary structure of expansion segment ES6 in 18S ribosomal RNA
- 2006
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In: Biochemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0006-2960 .- 1520-4995. ; 45:26, s. 8067-8078
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Expansion segment ES6 in 18S ribosomal RNA is, unlike many other expansion segments, present in all eukaryotes. The available data suggest that ES6 is located on the surface of the small ribosomal subunit. Here we have analyzed the secondary structure of the complete ES6 sequence in intact ribosomes from three eukaryotes, wheat, yeast, and mouse, representing different eukaryotic kingdoms. The availability of the ES6 sequence for modification and cleavage by structure sensitive chemicals and enzymatic reagents was analyzed by primer extension and gel electrophoresis on an ABI 377 automated DNA sequencer. The experimental results were used to restrict the number of possible secondary structure models of ES6 generated by the folding software MFOLD. The modification data obtained from the three experimental organisms were very similar despite the sequence variation. Consequently, similar secondary structure models were obtained for the ES6 sequence in wheat, yeast, and mouse ribosomes. A comparison of sequence data from more than 6000 eukaryotes showed that similar structural elements could also be formed in other organisms. The comparative analysis also showed that the extent of compensatory base changes in the suggested helices was low. The in situ structure analysis was complemented by a secondary structure analysis of wheat ES6 transcribed and folded in vitro. The obtained modification data indicate that the secondary structure of the in vitro transcribed sequence differs from that observed in the intact ribosome. These results suggest that chaperones, ribosomal proteins, and/or tertiary rRNA interactions could be involved in the in vivo folding of ES6.
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| 3. |
- Alkemar, Gunnar, 1970-
(author)
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Ribosome and ribosomal RNA Structure : An experimental and computational analysis of expansion segments in eukaryotic ribosomal RNA
- 2008
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Ribosomes are large ribonucleoprotein complexes which incorporate amino acids into peptide chains during translational process in all types of living cells. The eukaryotic ribosome is larger compared to its prokaryotic counterpart. The size differences are due to a larger protein part and that the rRNA contains eukaryote specific expansion segments (ES). Cryo-EM reconstruction has visualized many ES on the ribosomal surface which have given clues about function and structural features. However, the secondary structures of most ES are unknown or ill defined. In this thesis, the secondary and also to a certain extent the tertiary structures of several ES are determined by using computational methods and biochemical experimental techniques. The juxtaposition of ES6 close to ES3 in the Cryo-EM image of the yeast ribosome suggested that ES3 and ES6 might interact. A computational analysis of more than 2900 sequences shows that a complementary helical region of seven to nine contiguous base pairs can form between ES3 and ES6 in almost all analyzed sequences. Biochemical in situ experiments support the proposed interaction. Secondary structure models are presented for ES3 and ES6 in 18S rRNA and ES39 in 28S rRNA, where homologous structural elements could be modeled in the experimentally analyzed ribosomes from fungi, plants and mammals. The structure models were further supported by computational methods where the ES6 structure and the ES39 structure could be formed in more than 6000 and 900 sequences respectively. A tertiary structure model of ES3 and ES6 including the helical interaction is presented. An in vitro transcribed and folded ES6 sequence differed from that observed in situ, suggesting that chaperones, ribosomal proteins, and/or the tertiary rRNA interaction could be involved in the in vivo folding of ES6. An analysis of the similarities between ES39 structures suggests that it might be under selective constraint to preserve its secondary structure.
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| 4. |
- Bartish, Galyna, et al.
(author)
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Amino acids Thr56 and Thr58 are not essential for elongation factor 2 function in yeast
- 2007
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In: The FEBS Journal. - : Wiley. - 1742-464X .- 1742-4658. ; 274:20, s. 5285-5297
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Yeast elongation factor 2 is an essential protein that contains two highly conserved threonine residues, T56 and T58, that could potentially be phosphorylated by the Rck2 kinase in response to environmental stress. The importance of residues T56 and T58 for elongation factor 2 function in yeast was studied using site directed mutagenesis and functional complementation. Mutations T56D, T56G, T56K, T56N and T56V resulted in nonfunctional elongation factor 2 whereas mutated factor carrying point mutations T56M, T56C, T56S, T58S and T58V was functional. Expression of mutants T56C, T56S and T58S was associated with reduced growth rate. The double mutants T56M/T58W and T56M/T58V were also functional but the latter mutant caused increased cell death and considerably reduced growth rate. The results suggest that the physiological role of T56 and T58 as phosphorylation targets is of little importance in yeast under standard growth conditions. Yeast cells expressing mutants T56C and T56S were less able to cope with environmental stress induced by increased growth temperatures. Similarly, cells expressing mutants T56M and T56M/T58W were less capable of adapting to increased osmolarity whereas cells expressing mutant T58V behaved normally. All mutants tested were retained their ability to bind to ribosomes in vivo. However, mutants T56D, T56G and T56K were under-represented on the ribosome, suggesting that these nonfunctional forms of elongation factor 2 were less capable of competing with wild-type elongation factor 2 in ribosome binding. The presence of nonfunctional but ribosome binding forms of elongation factor 2 did not affect the growth rate of yeast cells also expressing wild-type elongation factor 2.
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| 5. |
- Bartish, Galyna, 1962-
(author)
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Elongation factor 2: A key component of the translation machinery in eukaryotes : Properties of yeast elongation factor 2 studied in vivo
- 2008
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Synthesis of proteins is performed by the ribosome, a large ribonucleoprotein complex. Apart from the ribosome, numerous protein factors participate in this process. Elongation factor 2 (eEF2) is one of these factors. eEF2 is an essential protein with a mol. mass of about 100 kDa. The amino acid sequence of eEF2 is highly conserved in different organisms. eEF2 from S. cerevisiae contains 842 amino acids. The role of eEF2 in protein synthesis is to participate in the translocation of tRNAs from the A- and P-sites on the ribosome to the P- and E-sites. This movement of tRNAs is accompanied by a simultaneous movement of mRNA by one codon. eEF2 consists of six domains referred to as domains G, G′ and II-V, belongs to the G-protein super-family and possesses all structural motifs characterizing proteins in this family. eEF2 binds to the ribosome in complex with GTP. After GTP hydrolysis and translocation, it leaves the ribosome bound to GDP. The rate of protein synthesis in the cell can be regulated by phosphorylation of eEF2. Phosphorylation occurs on two threonine residues, situated in the G domain of the factor. Phosphorylation of eEF2 is catalysed by Rck2-kinase in yeast which is activated in response to osmotic stress. Despite the high degree of conservation of the threonine residues, they are not essential for yeast cell under normal growth conditions. However, under mild osmotic stress the growth rate of the cells lacking threonine residues was decreased. Region where threonine residues are located, called Switch I. Cryo-EM reconstruction shows that this region adopts ordered conformation when the eEF2•GTP complex is bound to the ribosome but became structurally disordered upon GTP hydrolysis. Mutagenesis of individual amino acids in Switch I resulted in both functional and non-functional eEF2 depending on the site of mutation and the substituting amino acid. Both functional and non-functional Switch I mutants were able to bind to the ribosome, indicating that mutations did not abolish the capacity of the factor to bind GTP. Yeast eEF2 with Switch I region from E. coli was able to substitute the wild type protein in vivo, though the growth rate of these cells was severely impaired. The eEF2-dependent GTP hydrolysis can be activated by ribosome from heterologous sources as seen in vitro. However, eEF2 from A. thaliana, D. melanogaster and S. solfataricus could not substi-tute yeast eEF2 in vivo. This may indicate additional roles of eEF2 in the yeast cell, apart from translocation itself.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Bartish, Galyna, et al.
(author)
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Importance of individual amino acids in the Switch I region in eEF2 studied by functional complementation in S. cerevisiae
- 2008
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In: Biochimie. - : Elsevier BV. - 0300-9084 .- 1638-6183. ; 90:5, s. 736-748
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Elongation factor 2 (eEF2) is a member of the G-protein super family. G-proteins undergo conformational changes associated with binding of the guanosine nucleotide and hydrolysis of the bound GTP. These structural rearrangements affects the Switch I region (also known as the Effector loop). We have studied the role of individual amino acids in the Switch I region (amino acids 25-73) of S. cerevisiae eEF2 using functional complementation in yeast. 21 point mutations in the Switch I region were created by site-directed mutagenesis. Mutants K49R, E52Q, A53G, F55Y, K60R, Q63A, T68S, 169M and A73G were functional while mutants R54H, F55N, D57A, D57E, D57S, R59K, R59M, Q63E, R65A, R65N, T68A and T68M were inactive. Expression of mutants K49R, A53G, Q63A, 169M and A73G was associated with markedly decreased growth rates and yeast cells expressing mutants A53G and 169M became temperature sensitive. The functional capacity of eEF2 in which the major part Switch I (amino acids T56 to 169) was converted into the homologous sequence found in EF-G from E. coli was also studied. This protein chimera could functionally replace yeast eEF2 in vivo. Yeast cells expressing this mutant grew extremely slowly, showed increased cell death and became temperature sensitive. The ability of the mutant to replace authentic eEF2 in vivo indicates that the structural rearrangement of Switch I necessary for eEF2 function is similar in eukaryotes and bacteria. The effect of two point mutations in the P-loop was also studied. Mutant A25G but not A25V could functionally replace yeast eEF2 even if cells expressing the mutant grew slowly. The A25G mutation converted the consensus sequences AXXXXGK[T/S] in eEF2 to the corresponding motif GXXXXGK[T/S] found in all other G-proteins, suggesting that the alanine found in the P-loop of peptidyltranslocases are not essential for function.
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| 8. |
- Hossein, Moradi, et al.
(author)
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Functional features of the C-terminal region of yeast ribosomal protein L5
- 2008
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In: Molecular Genetics and Genomics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1617-4615 .- 1617-4623. ; 280:4, s. 337-350
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study was to analyze the functional importance of the C-terminus of the essential yeast ribosomal protein L5 (YrpL5). Previous studies have indicated that the C-terminal region of YrpL5 forms an α-helix with a positively charged surface that is involved in protein–5S rRNA interaction. Formation of an YrpL5·5S rRNA complex is a prerequisite for nuclear import of YrpL5. Here we have tested the importance of the α-helix and the positively charged surface for YrpL5 function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using site directed mutagenesis in combination with functional complementation. Alterations in the sequence forming the putative α-helix affected the functional capacity of YrpL5. However, the effect did not correlate with a decreased ability of the protein to bind to 5S rRNA as all rpL5 mutants tested were imported to the nucleus whether or not the α-helix or the positively charged surface were intact. The alterations introduced in the C-terminal sequence affected the growth rate of cells expressing mutant but functional forms of YrpL5. The reduced growth rate was correlated with a reduced ribosomal content per cell indicating that the alterations introduced in the C-terminus interfered with ribosome assembly.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Nygård, Odd, et al.
(author)
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Analysis of the secondary structure of expansion segment 39 in ribosomes from fungi, plants and mammals
- 2006
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In: Journal of Molecular Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-2836 .- 1089-8638. ; 357:3, s. 904-916
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The structure of expansion segment 39, E539, in eukaryotic 23 S-like ribosomal RNA was analysed using a combination of chemical and enzymic reagents. Ribosomes were isolated from yeast, wheat, mouse, rat and rabbit, five organisms representing three different eukaryotic kingdoms. The isolated ribosomes were treated with structure-sensitive chemical and enzymic reagents and the modification patterns analysed by primer extension and gel electrophoresis on an ABI 377 automated DNA sequencer. The expansion segment was relatively accessible to modification by both enzymic and chemical probes, suggesting that ES39 was exposed on the surface of the ribosomes. The collected modification data were used in secondary structure modelling of the expansion segment. Despite considerable variation in both sequence and length between organisms from different kingdoms, the structure analysis of the expansion segment gave rise to structural fingerprints that allowed identification of homologous structures in ES39 from fungi, plants and mammals. The homologous structures formed an initial helix and an invariant hairpin connected to the initial helix via a long single-stranded loop. The remaining part of the ES39 sequences accounted for most of the length variation seen between the analysed species. This part could form additional, albeit less similar, hairpins. A comparison of ES39 sequences from other fungi, plants and mammals showed that identical structures could be formed in these organisms.
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