title: Mechanism of mRNA binding to bovine mitochondrial ribosomes.
abstract: The binding of mRNA to bovine mitochondrial ribosomes was investigated using triplet codons, homopolymers and heteropolymers of various lengths, and human mitochondrial mRNAs. In the absence of initiation factors and initiator tRNA, mitochondrial ribosomes do not bind triplet codons (AUG and UUU) or homopolymers (oligo(U] shorter than about 10 nucleotides. The RNA binding domain on the 28 S mitoribosomal subunit spans approximately 80 nucleotides of the mRNA, judging from the size of the fragments of poly(U,G) and natural mRNAs protected from RNase T1 digestion by this subunit, but the major binding interaction with the ribosome appears to occur over a 30-nucleotide stretch. Human mitochondrial mRNAs coding for subunits II and III of cytochrome c oxidase and subunit 1 of the NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) were used in studying in detail the binding of mRNA to the small subunit of bovine mitochondrial ribosomes. We have determined that these mRNAs have considerable secondary structure in their 5'-terminal regions and that the initiation codon of each mRNA is sequestered in a stem structure. Little mRNA was bound to ribosomes in a manner conferring protection of the 5' termini from RNase T1 digestion, under standard conditions supporting the binding of artificial templates, but such binding was greatly stimulated by the addition of a mitochondrial extract. Initiation factors and tRNAs from Escherichia coli were unable to stimulate the 5' terminus protected binding of these mRNA molecules, demonstrating a requirement for homologous factors. Our results strongly suggest that mitochondrial initiation factors are required for the proper recognition and melting of the secondary structure in the 5'-terminal region of mitochondrial mRNAs, as a prerequisite for initiation of protein synthesis in mammalian mitochondria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Denslow
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montoya
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Attardi
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002417:Cattle; D003062:Codon; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011108:Polymers; D011808:Quinone Reductases / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006163:Ribonuclease T1 / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014500:Uracil Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors; D011108:Polymers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014500:Uracil Nucleotides; C027916:oligo(U); D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); D011808:Quinone Reductases; D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D006163:Ribonuclease T1