title: An mRNA-derived noncoding RNA targets and regulates the ribosome.
abstract: The structural and functional repertoire of small non-protein-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) is central for establishing gene regulation networks in cells and organisms. Here, we show that an mRNA-derived 18-nucleotide-long ncRNA is capable of downregulating translation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by targeting the ribosome. This 18-mer ncRNA binds to polysomes upon salt stress and is crucial for efficient growth under hyperosmotic conditions. Although the 18-mer RNA originates from the TRM10 locus, which encodes a tRNA methyltransferase, genetic analyses revealed the 18-mer RNA nucleotide sequence, rather than the mRNA-encoded enzyme, as the translation regulator. Our data reveal the ribosome as a target for a small regulatory ncRNA and demonstrate the existence of a yet unkown mechanism of translation regulation. Ribosome-targeted small ncRNAs are found in all domains of life and represent a prevalent but so far largely unexplored class of regulatory molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pircher
authors.affiliation: Division of Genomics and RNomics, Medical University Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego Street 12/14, 61-704 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Kamilla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bakowska-Zywicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Division of Genomics and RNomics, Medical University Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zywicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Division of Genomics and RNomics, Medical University Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: norbert.polacek@dcb.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Polacek
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001665:Binding Sites; D005091:Exons; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013997:Time Factors; D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C568603:TRM10 protein, S cerevisiae; D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases