Abstract
The ribosome is an ancient machine, performing the same function across organisms. Although functionally unitary, recent experiments suggest specialized roles for some ribosomal proteins. Our central thesis is that ribosomal proteins function in a modular fashion to decode genetic information in a context dependent manner. We show through large data analyses that although many ribosomal proteins are essential with consistent effect on growth in different conditions in yeast and similar expression across cell and tissue types in mice and humans, some ribosomal proteins are used in an environment specific manner. The latter set of variable ribosomal proteins further function in a coordinated manner forming modules, which are adapted to different environmental cues in different organisms. We show that these environment specific modules of ribosomal proteins in yeast have differential genetic interactions with other pathways and their 5’UTRs show differential signatures of selection in yeast strains, presumably to facilitate adaptation. Similarly, we show that in higher metazoans such as mice and humans, different modules of ribosomal proteins are expressed in different cell types and tissues. A clear example is nervous tissue that uses a ribosomal protein module distinct from the rest of the tissues in both mice and humans. Our results suggest a novel stratification of ribosomal proteins that could have played a role in adaptation, presumably to optimize translation for adaptation to diverse ecological niches and tissue microenvironments.
Highlights
A single celled organism displays a range of phenotypes to survive in diverse environments
Using the YEASTRACT database, we find that whereas most transcription factors (TFs) bind to ribosomal proteins in all three clusters, some are cluster specific
At least in yeast, we see evidence that the 5’UTRs of ribosomal proteins that form the modules seem to be under selection pressure, which suggests that they play a role in evolutionary adaptation
Summary
A single celled organism displays a range of phenotypes to survive in diverse environments. In addition to the external environment, tissue specific cell types display specialized mechanisms to regulate phenotype in local tissue environments. Much of the research in biology has been directed towards understanding the basis of the information flow that gives rise to these diverse phenotypes. This has resulted in the identification of many regulatory processes [1,2] which fine-tune transcriptional expression and modulate. Analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.