DENR-MCT-1 promotes translation re-initiation downstream of uORFs to control tissue growth.

Abstract

During cap-dependent eukaryotic translation initiation, ribosomes scan mRNA from the 5′ end to the first AUG start codon with favorable sequence context1,2. For many mRNAs this AUG belongs to a short upstream open reading frame (uORF)3, and translation of the main downstream ORF requires reinitiation, an incompletely understood process1,4-6. Reinitiation is thought to involve the same factors as standard initiation1,5,7. It is unknown if any factors specifically affect translation reinitiation without affecting standard cap-dependent translation. We uncover here the non-canonical initiation factors Density Regulated Protein (DENR) and Multiple Copies in T-cell Lymphoma-1 (MCT-1) as the first selective regulators of eukaryotic reinitiation. mRNAs containing upstream Open Reading Frames with strong Kozak sequences (stuORFs) selectively require DENR•MCT-1 for their proper translation, yielding a novel class of mRNAs that can be co-regulated and that is enriched for regulatory proteins such as oncogenic kinases. Collectively, our data reveal that cells have a previously unappreciated translational control system with a key role in supporting proliferation and tissue growth.