scholarly journals Efficient Incorporation of Multiple Selenocysteines Involves an Inefficient Decoding Step Serving as a Potential Translational Checkpoint and RibosomeBottleneck

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (24) ◽  
pp. 9177-9184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoia Stoytcheva ◽  
Rosa M. Tujebajeva ◽  
John W. Harney ◽  
Marla J. Berry
Keyword(s):  
Untranslated Region ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Secondary Structures ◽  
Selenoprotein P ◽  
Secis Element ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Decay ◽  
Slowing Down ◽  
Uga Codon ◽  
Sense Codon ◽  
Selenoprotein Mrnas

ABSTRACT Selenocysteine is incorporated into proteins via “recoding” of UGA from a stop codon to a sense codon, a process that requires specific secondary structures in the 3′ untranslated region, termed selenocysteine incorporation sequence (SECIS) elements, and the protein factors that they recruit. Whereas most selenoprotein mRNAs contain a single UGA codon and a single SECIS element, selenoprotein P genes encode multiple UGAs and two SECIS elements. We have identified evolutionary adaptations in selenoprotein P genes that contribute to the efficiency of incorporating multiple selenocysteine residues in this protein. The first is a conserved, inefficiently decoded UGA codon in the N-terminal region, which appears to serve both as a checkpoint for the presence of factors required for selenocysteine incorporation and as a“ bottleneck,” slowing down the progress of elongating ribosomes. The second adaptation involves the presence of introns downstream of this inefficiently decoded UGA which confer the potential for nonsense-mediated decay when factors required for selenocysteine incorporation are limiting. Third, the two SECIS elements in selenoprotein P mRNA function with differing efficiencies, affecting both the rate and the efficiency of decoding different UGAs. The implications for how these factors contribute to the decoding of multiple selenocysteine residues are discussed.

scholarly journals The polypyrimidine tract binding protein, PTBP1, regulates selenium homeostasis via the Selenoprotein P 3′ untranslated region

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumangala P. Shetty ◽  
Nora T. Kiledjian ◽  
Paul R. Copeland
Keyword(s):  
Untranslated Region ◽  
Insertion Sequence ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Selenoprotein P ◽  
Polypyrimidine Tract ◽  
Secis Element ◽  
Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein ◽  
Considerable Length ◽  
Selenoprotein Mrnas

AbstractSelenoproteins contain the 21st amino acid, selenocysteine (Sec), which is incorporated at select UGA codons when the encoding mRNA contains a specialized hairpin sequence in its 3′ UTR. This hairpin, the so-called Sec insertion sequence (SECIS) element, is found in all selenoprotein mRNAs, but the sequence surrounding these elements is widely variable and in many cases of considerable length. In order to determine the function of one such SECIS context, we chose to focus on the plasma selenoprotein, SELENOP, that is required to maintain selenium homeostasis. It is unique in that its mRNA contains two SECIS elements that lie in the context of a highly conserved 843-nucleotide 3′ UTR. Prior work has attempted to examine the functions of the SECIS context but none were identified. Here we have used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to delete the region between the two SECIS elements. We found that this sequence is required to mediate an increase in SELENOP synthesis under conditions of peroxide stress. Using RNA affinity chromatography, we have identified PTBP1 as the major RNA binding protein that specifically interacts with this region.

scholarly journals Homocysteine Down-regulates Cellular Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx1) by Decreasing Translation

2005 ◽  
Vol 280 (16) ◽  
pp. 15518-15525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane E. Handy ◽  
Yufeng Zhang ◽  
Joseph Loscalzo
Keyword(s):  
Glutathione Peroxidase ◽  
Untranslated Region ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Vascular Dysfunction ◽  
Lipid Peroxides ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Sv40 Promoter ◽  
Secis Element

Hyperhomocysteinemia contributes to vascular dysfunction and an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. An elevated level of homocysteinein vivoand in cell culture systems results in a decrease in the activity of cellular glutathione peroxidase (GPx1), an intracellular antioxidant enzyme that reduces hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxides. In this study, we show that homocysteine interferes with GPx1 protein expression without affecting transcript levels. Expression of the selenocysteine (SEC)-containing GPx1 protein requires special translational cofactors to “read-through” a UGA-stop codon that specifies SEC incorporation at the active site of the enzyme. These factors include a selenocysteine incorporation sequence (SECIS) in the 3′-untranslated region of the GPx1 mRNA and cofactors involved in the biosynthesis and translational insertion of SEC. To monitor SEC incorporation, we used a reporter gene system that has a UGA codon within the protein-coding region of the luciferase mRNA. Addition of either the GPx1 or GPx3 SECIS element in the 3′-untranslated region of the luciferase gene stimulated read-through by 6–11-fold in selenium-replete cells; absence of selenium prevented translation. To alter cellular homocysteine production, we used methionine in the presence of aminopterin, a folate antagonist, co-administered with hypoxanthine and thymidine (HAT/Met). This treatment increased homocysteine levels in the media by 30% (p< 0.01) and decreased GPx1 enzyme activity by 45% (p= 0.0028). HAT/Met treatment decreased selenium-mediated read-through significantly (p< 0.001) in luciferase constructs containing the GPx1 or GPx3 SECIS element; most importantly, the suppression of selenium-dependent read-through was similar whether an SV40 promoter or the GPx1 promoter was used to drive transcription of the SECIS-containing constructs. Furthermore, HAT/Met had no effect on steady-state GPx1 mRNA levels but decreased GPx1 protein levels, suggesting that this effect is not transcriptionally mediated. These data support the conclusion that homocysteine decreases GPx1 activity by altering the translational mechanism essential for the synthesis of this selenocysteine-containing protein.

scholarly journals Selenium-Related Transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikko J. Lammi ◽  
Chengjuan Qu
Keyword(s):  
Stop Codon ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Selenium Deficiency ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Translation Elongation ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Decay ◽  
Specific Complex ◽  
System Functioning ◽  
The One ◽  
Selenoprotein Mrnas

Selenium is a trace metal essential to human health, and its deficiency has been related to, for instance, cardiovascular and myodegenerative diseases, infertility and osteochondropathy Kashin-Beck disease. It is incorporated as selenocysteine to selenoproteins, which protect against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. They also participate in the activation of thyroid hormone, and play a role in immune system functioning. The synthesis and incorporation of selenocysteine occurs via a special mechanism, which differs from the one used for standard amino acids. The codon for selenocysteine is the regular in-frame stop codon, which can be passed by specific complex machinery participating in translation elongation and termination. This includes the presence of selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) in the 3&rsquo;-untranslated part of the selenoprotein mRNAs. Selenium deficiency is known to control both selenoprotein and non-selenoprotein transcriptomes. Nonsense-mediated decay is involved in the regulation of selenoprotein mRNA levels, both other mechanisms are also possible.

scholarly journals Comparison between the Repression Potency of siRNA Targeting the Coding Region and the 3′-Untranslated Region of mRNA

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching-Fang Lai ◽  
Chih-Ying Chen ◽  
Lo-Chun Au
Keyword(s):  
Gene Silencing ◽  
Thermodynamic Stability ◽  
Untranslated Region ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Secondary Structures ◽  
Transcriptional Gene Silencing ◽  
Small Interfering Rnas ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Post Transcriptional Gene Silencing ◽  
Flanking Sequences

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are applied for post-transcriptional gene silencing by binding target mRNA. A target coding region is usually chosen, although the3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) can also be a target. This study elucidates whether the coding region or3′-UTR elicits higher repression. pFLuc and pRLuc are two reporter plasmids. A segment ofFLucgene was PCR-amplified and inserted behind the stop codon of theRLucgene of the pRLuc. Similarly, a segment ofRLucgene was inserted behind the stop codon ofFLuc. Two siFLuc and two siRLuc were siRNAs designed to target the central portions of these segments. Therefore, the siRNA encountered the same targets and flanking sequences. Results showed that the two siFLuc elicited higher repression when theFLucsegment resided in the coding region. Conversely, the two siRLuc showed higher repression when theRLucsegment was in the3′-UTR. These results indicate that both the coding region and the3′-UTR can be more effective targets. The thermodynamic stability of the secondary structures was analyzed. The siRNA elicited higher repression in the coding region when the target configuration was stable, and needed to be solved by translation. A siRNA may otherwise favor the target at3′-UTR.

scholarly journals Selenium-Dependent Read Through of the Conserved 3’-Terminal UGA Stop Codon of HIV-1 nef

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Lakmini Premadasa ◽  
Gabrielle Dailey ◽  
Jan A. Ruzicka ◽  
Ethan Will Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Secis Element ◽  
Transfected Cells ◽  
Uga Codon ◽  
Stop Codon Readthrough ◽  
Hiv 1

Objectives: The HIV-1 nef gene terminates in a 3’-UGA stop codon, which is highly conserved in the main group of HIV-1 subtypes, along with a downstream potential coding region that could extend the nef protein by 33 amino acids, if readthrough of the stop codon occurs. It has been proposed that antisense tethering interactions (ATIs) between a viral mRNA and a host selenoprotein mRNA are a potential viral strategy for the capture of a host selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element. This mRNA hijacking mechanism could enable the expression of virally encoded selenoprotein modules, through translation of in-frame UGA stop codons as selenocysteine (Sec). Here, our aim was to assess whether readthrough of the 3’-terminal UGA codon of nef occurs during translation of HIV-1 nef expression constructs in transfected cells, and whether selenium-based mechanisms might be involved. Material and Methods: To assess UGA codon readthrough, we used fluorescence microscopy image analysis and flow cytometry of HEK 293 cells transfected with full length HIV-1 nef gene expression constructs including the 3’-UGA stop codon and a predicted thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) antisense region spanning the UGA codon, engineered with a downstream in-frame green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene. These were designed so that GFP can only be expressed by translational recoding of the UGA codon, that is, if the UGA codon is translated as an amino acid or bypassed by ribosomal hopping. To assess readthrough efficiency, appropriate mutant control constructs were used for 100% and 0% readthrough. We used anti-TXNRD1 siRNA to assess the possible role of the proposed antisense interaction in this event, by knockdown of TXNRD1 mRNA levels. Results: UGA stop codon readthrough efficiency for the wild-type nef construct was estimated by flow cytometry to be about 19% (P < 0.0001). siRNA knockdown of TXNRD1 mRNA resulted in a 67% decrease in GFP expression in this system relative to control cells (P < 0.0001), presumably due to reduced availability of the components involved in selenocysteine incorporation for the stop codon readthrough (i.e. the TXNRD1 SECIS element). Addition of 20 nM sodium selenite to the media enhanced stop codon readthrough in the pNefATI1 plasmid construct by >100% (P < 0.0001), that is, more than doubled the amount of readthrough product, supporting the hypothesis that selenium is involved in the UGA readthrough mechanism. Conclusion: Our results show that readthrough of the 3’-terminal UGA codon of nef occurs during translation of HIV-1 nef expression constructs in transfected cells, that this is dependent on selenium concentration, and the presence of TXNRD1 mRNA, supporting the proposed antisense tethering interaction.

scholarly journals Nuclear Assembly of UGA Decoding Complexes on Selenoprotein mRNAs: a Mechanism for Eluding Nonsense-Mediated Decay?

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1795-1805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia A. de Jesus ◽  
Peter R. Hoffmann ◽  
Tanya Michaud ◽  
Erin P. Forry ◽  
Andrea Small-Howard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Nonsense Mediated Decay ◽  
Nuclear Assembly ◽  
Mrna Binding Protein ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Mrna Binding ◽  
Selenoprotein Mrnas

ABSTRACT Recoding of UGA from a stop codon to selenocysteine poses a dilemma for the protein translation machinery. In eukaryotes, two factors that are crucial to this recoding process are the mRNA binding protein of the Sec insertion sequence, SBP2, and the specialized elongation factor, EFsec. We sought to determine the subcellular localization of these selenoprotein synthesis factors in mammalian cells and thus gain insight into how selenoprotein mRNAs might circumvent nonsense-mediated decay. Intriguingly, both EFsec and SBP2 localization differed depending on the cell line but significant colocalization of the two proteins was observed in cells where SBP2 levels were detectable. We identify functional nuclear localization and export signals in both proteins, demonstrate that SBP2 undergoes nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, and provide evidence that SBP2 levels and localization may influence EFsec localization. Our results suggest a mechanism for the nuclear assembly of the selenocysteine incorporation machinery that could allow selenoprotein mRNAs to circumvent nonsense-mediated decay, thus providing new insights into the mechanism of selenoprotein translation.

scholarly journals Analysis of Stop Codons within Prokaryotic Protein-Coding Genes Suggests Frequent Readthrough Events

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1876
Author(s):  
Frida Belinky ◽  
Ishan Ganguly ◽  
Eugenia Poliakov ◽  
Vyacheslav Yurchenko ◽  
Igor B. Rogozin
Keyword(s):  
Stop Codon ◽  
Purifying Selection ◽  
Protein Product ◽  
Intermediate Step ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Stop Codons ◽  
Protein Coding Genes ◽  
Synonymous Sites ◽  
Prokaryotic Protein ◽  
Sense Codon

Nonsense mutations turn a coding (sense) codon into an in-frame stop codon that is assumed to result in a truncated protein product. Thus, nonsense substitutions are the hallmark of pseudogenes and are used to identify them. Here we show that in-frame stop codons within bacterial protein-coding genes are widespread. Their evolutionary conservation suggests that many of them are not pseudogenes, since they maintain dN/dS values (ratios of substitution rates at non-synonymous and synonymous sites) significantly lower than 1 (this is a signature of purifying selection in protein-coding regions). We also found that double substitutions in codons—where an intermediate step is a nonsense substitution—show a higher rate of evolution compared to null models, indicating that a stop codon was introduced and then changed back to sense via positive selection. This further supports the notion that nonsense substitutions in bacteria are relatively common and do not necessarily cause pseudogenization. In-frame stop codons may be an important mechanism of regulation: Such codons are likely to cause a substantial decrease of protein expression levels.

scholarly journals Sense codon reassignment enables viral resistance and encoded polymer synthesis

Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 372 (6546) ◽  
pp. 1057-1062
Author(s):  
Wesley E. Robertson ◽  
Louise F. H. Funke ◽  
Daniel de la Torre ◽  
Julius Fredens ◽  
Thomas S. Elliott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stop Codon ◽  
Synonymous Codon ◽  
Viral Resistance ◽  
Release Factor ◽  
Codon Reassignment ◽  
Efficient Synthesis ◽  
Noncanonical Amino Acids ◽  
Laboratory Evolution ◽  
Transfer Rnas ◽  
Sense Codon

It is widely hypothesized that removing cellular transfer RNAs (tRNAs)—making their cognate codons unreadable—might create a genetic firewall to viral infection and enable sense codon reassignment. However, it has been impossible to test these hypotheses. In this work, following synonymous codon compression and laboratory evolution in Escherichia coli, we deleted the tRNAs and release factor 1, which normally decode two sense codons and a stop codon; the resulting cells could not read the canonical genetic code and were completely resistant to a cocktail of viruses. We reassigned these codons to enable the efficient synthesis of proteins containing three distinct noncanonical amino acids. Notably, we demonstrate the facile reprogramming of our cells for the encoded translation of diverse noncanonical heteropolymers and macrocycles.

scholarly journals Fructosuria and recurrent hypoglycemia in a patient with a novel c.1693T>A variant in the 3′ untranslated region of the aldolase B gene

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 2050313X1882309
Author(s):  
Martha Catalina Morales-Alvarez ◽  
Maria Laura Ricardo-Silgado ◽  
Hernan Nicolas Lemus ◽  
Deyanira González-Devia ◽  
Carlos O Mendivil
Keyword(s):  
Untranslated Region ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Glucose Monitoring ◽  
Repeated Measurements ◽  
Hereditary Fructose Intolerance ◽  
Dietary Fructose ◽  
Fructose Intolerance ◽  
Exon 9 ◽  
Aldolase B ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

Hereditary fructose intolerance, caused by mutations in the ALDOB gene, is an unusual cause of hypoglycemia. ALDOB encodes the enzyme aldolase B, responsible for the hydrolysis of fructose 1-phosphate in the liver. Here, we report the case of a 33-year-old female patient who consulted due to repetitive episodes of weakness, dizziness and headache after food ingestion. An ambulatory 72-h continuous glucose monitoring revealed multiple short hypoglycemic episodes over the day. After biochemical exclusion of other endocrine causes of hypoglycemia, hereditary fructose intolerance seemed a plausible diagnosis. Repeated measurements of urinary fructose revealed pathologic fructosuria, but genetic testing for the three most common mutations in ALDOB resulted negative. We decided to perform complete Sanger sequencing of the ALDOB gene and encountered a variant consisting of a T>A substitution in position 1963 of the ALDOB transcript (c.1693T>A). This position is located within the 3′ untranslated region of exon 9, 515 nucleotides downstream the stop codon. After complete withdrawal of dietary fructose and sucrose, the patient presented no new hypoglycemic episodes.

scholarly journals Selenium-Dependent Readthrough of the Conserved 3’-Terminal UGA Stop Codon of HIV-1 Nef

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lakmini Premadasa ◽  
Gabrielle Dailey ◽  
Jan Ruzicka ◽  
Ethan Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Stop Codon ◽  
Thioredoxin Reductase ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Hek 293 ◽  
Plasmid Construct ◽  
Uga Codon ◽  
The Media ◽  
Sirna Knockdown ◽  
Stop Codon Readthrough ◽  
Hiv 1

The HIV-1 nef gene terminates in a 3&rsquo;-UGA stop codon, which is highly conserved in the main group of HIV-1 subtypes, along with a downstream potential coding region that could extend the nef protein by 33 amino acids, if readthrough of the stop codon occurs. Antisense tethering interactions (ATIs) between a viral mRNA and a host selenoprotein mRNA are a potential viral strategy for the capture of a host selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element (Taylor et al, 2016) [1]. This mRNA hijacking mechanism could enable the expression of virally encoded selenoprotein modules, via translation of in-frame UGA stop codons as selenocysteine (SeC). Here we show that readthrough of the 3&rsquo;-terminal UGA codon of nef occurs during translation of HIV-1 nef expression constructs in transfected cells. This was accomplished via fluorescence microscopy image analysis and flow cytometry of HEK 293 cells, transfected with engineered GFP reporter gene plasmid constructs, in which GFP can only be expressed by translational recoding of the UGA codon. SiRNA knockdown of thioredoxin reductase 1 (TR1) mRNA resulted in a 67% decrease in GFP expression, presumably due to reduced availability of the components involved in selenocysteine incorporation for the stop codon readthrough, thus supporting the proposed ATI. Addition of 20 nM sodium selenite to the media significantly enhanced stop codon readthrough in the pNefATI1 plasmid construct, by &gt;100%, supporting the hypothesis that selenium is involved in the UGA readthrough mechanism.

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