aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase Enzymes Research Articles

Boosting BDNF in muscle rescues impaired axonal transport in a mouse model of DI-CMTC peripheral neuropathy

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a genetic peripheral neuropathy caused by mutations in many functionally diverse genes. The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) enzymes, which transfer amino acids to partner tRNAs for protein synthesis, represent the largest protein family genetically linked to CMT aetiology, suggesting pathomechanistic commonalities. Dominant intermediate CMT type C (DI-CMTC) is caused by YARS1 mutations driving a toxic gain-of-function in the encoded tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS), which is mediated by exposure of consensus neomorphic surfaces through conformational changes of the mutant protein. In this study, we first showed that human DI-CMTC-causing TyrRSE196K mis-interacts with the extracellular domain of the BDNF receptor TrkB, an aberrant association we have previously characterised for several mutant glycyl-tRNA synthetases linked to CMT type 2D (CMT2D). We then performed temporal neuromuscular assessments of YarsE196K mice modelling DI-CMT. We determined that YarsE196K homozygotes display a selective, age-dependent impairment in in vivo axonal transport of neurotrophin-containing signalling endosomes, phenocopying CMT2D mice. This impairment is replicated by injection of recombinant TyrRSE196K, but not TyrRSWT, into muscles of wild-type mice. Augmenting BDNF in DI-CMTC muscles, through injection of recombinant protein or muscle-specific gene therapy, resulted in complete axonal transport correction. Therefore, this work identifies a non-cell autonomous pathomechanism common to ARS-related neuropathies, and highlights the potential of boosting BDNF levels in muscles as a therapeutic strategy.

Evaluation of immunomodulatory potential of recombinant histidyl-tRNA synthetase (rLdHisRS) protein of Leishmania donovani as a vaccine candidate against visceral leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis is neglected tropical protozoan disease caused by Leishmania donovani and are associated with high fatality rate in developing countries since prophylactic vaccines are not available. In the present study, we evaluated the immunomodulatory potential of L. donovani histidyl-tRNA synthetase (LdHisRS) and predicted the epitopes using immunoinformatic tools. Histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HisRS) is a class IIa aminoacyl t-RNA synthetase enzyme (aaRS) required for histidine incorporation into proteins during protein synthesis. The recombinant LdHisRS protein (rLdHisRS) was expressed in E coli BL-21cells, and its immunomodulatory role was assessed in J774A.1 murine macrophage and in BALB/c mice, respectively. LdHisRS specifically stimulated and triggered enhance cell proliferation, nitric oxide release and IFN-γ (70%; P < 0.001), and IL-12 (55.37%; P < 0.05) cytokine release in vitro, whereas BALB/c mice immunized with rLdHisRS show higher NO release (80.95%; P<0.001), higher levels of Th1 cytokines IFN-γ (14%; P < 0.05), TNF-α (34.93%; P < 0.001), and IL-12 (28.49%; P < 0.001) and robust IgG (p<0.001) and IgG2a (p<0.001) production. We also identified 20 Helper T-lymphocytes (HTLs), 30 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and 18 B-cell epitopes from HisRS protein of L. donovani. All these epitopes can be further used to make a multiepitope vaccine against L. donovani.

Investigating the effects of the Geobacillus kaustophilus TilS lysidine modification on accurate mRNA decoding and aminoacylation.

Accurate protein biosynthesis requires translational fidelity and decoding efficiency. Mistranslated proteins are susceptible to misfolding, aggregation, or degradation; often resulting in disease. Accurate protein biosynthesis is expedited by attaching the correct amino acid to the 3′ end of the corresponding tRNA. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzymes catalyze the covalent linkage of amino acids to the cognate tRNA during translation. Due to the importance of accuracy, these enzymes must be specific in which tRNA substrates they utilize. Wobble-base pairing can occur between tRNAIle2UAU and the AUG methionine codon. Thus, evolution has dictated tRNAIle2 minor isoacceptors that are transcribed with a CAU codon. Typically, tRNAIle2 is encoded with the CAU anticodon; however, the same codon is utilized by tRNAMet when decoding the AUG codon.In bacterial systems, a post-transcriptional modification of C34 of tRNAIle2CAU facilitates accurate protein biosynthesis as aaRS's use the lysidine modification as an identity element for recognition and proper charging. The tRNA isoleucine lysidine synthetase enzyme (TilS) modifies the wobble position of tRNAIle2 precursors generating a LAU codon. This prevents methionyl tRNA synthetase (MetRS) mischarging via steric hindrances and modified tRNAIle2LAU is ultimately charged by IleRS. This work attempts to further characterize Geobacillus kaustophilus TilS by exploring the effects of distal residue mutations on lysidinylation function and investigating the recognition capacity of GkMetRS and GkIleRS for both cognate and noncognate tRNA substrates. Exploring the impact of the lysidine modification on charging efficiency will provide an increased understanding of aaRS discrimination and codon recognition mechanisms.

Free Energy Landscape of the Adenylation Reaction of the Aminoacylation Process at the Active Site of Aspartyl tRNA Synthetase.

The process of protein biosynthesis is initiated by the aminoacylation process where a transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) is charged by the attachment of its cognate amino acid at the active site of the corresponding aminoacyl tRNA synthetase enzyme. The first step of the aminoacylation process, known as the adenylation reaction, involves activation of the cognate amino acid where it reacts with a molecule of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) at the active site of the enzyme to form the aminoacyl adenylate and inorganic pyrophosphate. In the current work, we have investigated the adenylation reaction between aspartic acid and ATP at the active site of the fully solvated aspartyl tRNA synthetase (AspRS) from Escherichia coli in aqueous medium at room temperature through hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations combined with enhanced sampling methods of well-tempered and well-sliced metadynamics. The objective of the present work is to study the associated free energy landscape and reaction barrier and also to explore the effects of active site mutation on the free energy surface of the reaction. The current calculations include finite temperature effects on free energy profiles. In particular, apart from contributions of interaction energies, the current calculations also include contributions of conformational, vibrational, and translational entropy of active site residues, substrates, and also the rest of the solvated protein and surrounding water into the free energy calculations. The present QM/MM metadynamics simulations predict a free energy barrier of 23.35 and 23.5 kcal/mol for two different metadynamics methods used to perform the reaction at the active site of the wild type enzyme. The free energy barrier increases to 30.6 kcal/mol when Arg217, which is an important conserved residue of the wild type enzyme at its active site, is mutated by alanine. These free energy results including the effect of mutation compare reasonably well with those of kinetic experiments that are available in the literature. The current work also provides molecular details of structural changes of the reactants and surroundings as the system dynamically evolves along the reaction pathway from reactant to the product state through QM/MM metadynamics simulations.

ANTI-PL 12 POSITIVE ANTISYNTHETASE SYNDROME PRESENTING AS SEVERE ILD- A CASE REPORT

Anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by a combination of ILD , myopathy, fever and polyarthralgia and Raynaud's phenomenon and mechanic's hand . Hallmark of ASS is the presence of antibodies against aminoacyl tRNA synthetase enzyme. The most commonly encountered autoantibody is anti-JO 1 (around 80%), less commonly encountered are anti pl 7, anti-PL 12 anti E J. (1) Here we report the case of a 45 year old lady presenting with features of ASS where anti PL 12 was positive but with a negative anti JO 1.

Role of the transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) bound magnesium ions in the charging step of aminoacylation reaction in the glutamyl tRNA synthetase and the seryl tRNA synthetase bound with cognate tRNA

Aminoacylation reaction is the first step of protein biosynthesis. Transfer RNA (tRNA) is charged with an amino acid in this reaction and the reaction is catalyzed by aminoacyl tRNA synthetase enzyme (aaRS). In the present work, we use classical molecular dynamics simulation to show that the tRNA bound Mg2+ ions significantly influence the charging step of class I Tt GluRS: Glu-AMP: tRNAGlu and class II dimeric Tt SerRS: Ser-AMP: tRNASer. The CCA end of the acceptor terminal is disordered in the absence of coordinated Mg2+ ions and the CCA end can freely explore beyond the specific conformational space of the tRNA in its precharging state. A balance between the conformational disorder of the tRNA and the restriction imposed on the CCA terminal via coordination with the Mg2+ ions is needed for the placement of the CCA terminal in a precharging state organization. This result provides a molecular-level explanation of the experimental observation that the presence of Mg2+ ions is a necessary condition for a successful aminoacylation reaction. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Synthesis, In Silico Designing, Microbiological Evaluation and Structure Activity Relationship of Novel Amide Derivatives of 1-(2,4-Dinitrophenyl)-2-(3-Methylbenzo[b]Thiophen-6-yl)-1H-Benzo[d]Imidazole-5-Carboxylic Acid

Background Due to the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance, ample of different antibiotics accessible is declining and there are only a few of new antibiotics in the drug discovery pipeline. Therefore, there is an imperative need for the progress of new antimicrobial drugs. Method In the present study, synthesized amide derivatives of 1-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-6-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid by centralize the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (AaRS)enzymes and inhibition study by docking leads to antimicrobial activity. Molecular docking studies were conceded out on a designed amide library, and the best 23 focused amide compounds of 1-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-6-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid were privileged for synthesis based on the dock score evaluated by Schrodinger’s maestro package and AutoDock Vina 4.2 docking software against crystal structure of enzymes (PDB ID: 1wny.PDBQT and1jil.PDBQT) and investigated for in vitro antimicrobial activity. Results Among the library, the best compound A-4, A-5 and A-23 showing excellent dock score by AutoDock Vina/Schrodinger’s maestro against 1wny.PDBQT:1jil.PDBQT is −9.2:–10.6/–5.402: –5.653, −9.2: –10.6/–5.526/–5.734, −9.2: –10.6/–5.183: −5.679 as compared to standard drug dock score −10.2: –10.6/–5.847: –5.895 Derivatives A-4, A-5 and A-23 also flourished good MIC against six representative microorganisms as compared to standard by tube dilution method. Conclusions In vitro outcome naked that new synthesized compounds having excellent antimicrobial activity can be accustomed for in vivo studies for future.

Physics-Based Computational Protein Design: An Update.

We describe methods for physics-based protein design and some recent applications from our work. We present the physical interpretation of a MC simulation in sequence space and show that sequences and conformations form a well-defined statistical ensemble, explored with Monte Carlo and Boltzmann sampling. The folded state energy combines molecular mechanics for solutes with continuum electrostatics for solvent. We usually assume one or a few fixed protein backbone structures and discrete side chain rotamers. Methods based on molecular dynamics, which introduce additional backbone and side chain flexibility, are under development. The redesign of a PDZ domain and an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzyme were successful. We describe a versatile, adaptive, Wang-Landau MC method that can be used to design for substrate affinity, catalytic rate, catalytic efficiency, or the specificity of these properties. The methods are transferable to all biomolecules, can be systematically improved, and give physical insights.

Reflexivity, coding and quantum biology

Biological systems are fundamentally computational in that they process information in an apparently purposeful fashion rather than just transferring bits of it in a purely syntactical manner. Biological information, such has genetic information stored in DNA sequences, has semantic content. It carries meaning that is defined by the molecular context of its cellular environment. Information processing in biological systems displays an inherent reflexivity, a tendency for the computational information-processing to be “about” the behaviour of the molecules that participate in the computational process. This is most evident in the operation of the genetic code, where the specificity of the reactions catalysed by the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzymes is required to be self-sustaining. A cell’s suite of aaRS enzymes completes a reflexively autocatalytic set of molecular components capable of making themselves through the operation of the code. This set requires the existence of a body of reflexive information to be stored in an organism’s genome. The genetic code is a reflexively self-organised mapping of the chemical properties of amino acid sidechains onto codon “tokens”. It is a highly evolved symbolic system of chemical self-description. Although molecular biological coding is generally portrayed in terms of classical bit-transfer events, various biochemical events explicitly require quantum coherence for their occurrence. Whether the implicit transfer of quantum information, qbits, is indicative of wide-ranging quantum computation in living systems is currently the subject of extensive investigation and speculation in the field of Quantum Biology.

Genomic analyses of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases from human-infecting helminths

BackgroundHelminth infections affect ~ 60% of the human population that lives in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. These infections result in diseases like schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness and echinococcosis. Here we provide a comprehensive computational analysis of the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzyme family from 27 human-infecting helminths. Our analyses support the idea that several helminth aaRSs can be targeted for drug repurposing or for development of new drugs. For experimental validation, we focused on Onchocerciasis (also known as “river blindness”), a filarial vector-borne disease that is prevalent in Africa and Latin America. We show that halofuginone (HF) can act as a potent inhibitor of Onchocerca volvulus prolyl tRNA synthetase (OvPRS).ResultsThe conserved enzyme family of aaRSs has been validated as druggable targets in numerous eukaryotic parasites. We thus embarked on assessing aaRSs from the genomes of 27 helminths that cause infections in humans. In order to delineate the distribution of aaRSs per genome we utilized Hidden Markov Models of aaRS catalytic domains to identify all orthologues. We note that Fasciola hepatica genome encodes the highest number of aaRS-like proteins (69) whereas Taenia asiatica has the lowest count (32). The number of genes for any particular aaRS-like protein varies from 1 to 8 in these 27 studied helminths. Sequence alignments of helminth-encoded lysyl, prolyl, leucyl and threonyl tRNA synthetases suggest that various known aaRS inhibitors like Cladosporin, Halofuginone, Benzoborale and Borrelidin may be of utility against helminths. The recombinantly expressed Onchocerca volvulus PRS was used as proof of concept for targeting aaRS with drug-like molecules like HF.ConclusionsSystematic analysis of unique subdomains within helminth aaRSs reveals the presence of a number of non-canonical domains like PAC3, Utp-14, Pex2_Pex12 fused to catalytic domains in the predicted helminth aaRSs. We have established a platform for biochemical validation of a large number of helminth aaRSs that can be targeted using available inhibitors to jump-start drug repurposing against human helminths.

Functional Substitution of an Indirect Pathway for tRNA Glutaminylation with a Direct Pathway by T. thermophiles GlnRS

In protein synthesis mechanism, there is aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (AaRSs) enzyme which is essential for housekeeping enzymes and could be formed a ternary complex with any substrate known. In general, eukaryotic provides 20 sets of AaRS enzymes, while the other 18 sets are in prokaryotic. The differences of this phenomena, unfortunately because there are some of AaRSs syntheses by an indirect pathway using other AaRSs which has a high similarity of amino acid formula. Aminoacylation of transfer RNAGln (tRNAGln) is one of AaRSs carried out by an indirect pathway in most of organism, and even there are following distinctions in various kingdoms and also the mechanism in various kingdoms. ScGlnRS cytoplasm produced by the direct pathway of glutaminylation tRNAGln, besides mitochondrial Gln-tRNAGln generated a slightly complicated than the cytoplasm, because it must go through the step of amido attachment needed extra enzyme non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase by specifically changing Glu-tRNAGln to Gln-tRNAGln. Genetic engineering has been done by combining enzymes from EcGlnRS bacteria with non-specific binding tRNA cofactors from yeast, known as Arc1p, capable of increasing tRNA binding and activity of enzyme from bacteria to yeast system in vivo both in cytoplasm and mitochondria. By using the same combination of Arc1p to TtGlnRS bacterial enzyme, different mechanisms were found because they were only able to function in the mitochondria as well, not with the cytoplasm. T. thermophilus posses similarity in tRNA identity determinants of E. Coli but has a difference in yeast cytoplasm and mitochondrial tRNAGln isoacceptors. Arc1p-TtGlnRS fusion significantly enhanced its protein expression. In this finding, we report the trans-kingdom and eukaryotic glutaminylation were able to replace the role of the enzyme from yeast, it can also express equally noteworthy.

The Origin of Prebiotic Information System in the Peptide/RNA World: A Simulation Model of the Evolution of Translation and the Genetic Code.

Information is the currency of life, but the origin of prebiotic information remains a mystery. We propose transitional pathways from the cosmic building blocks of life to the complex prebiotic organic chemistry that led to the origin of information systems. The prebiotic information system, specifically the genetic code, is segregated, linear, and digital, and it appeared before the emergence of DNA. In the peptide/RNA world, lipid membranes randomly encapsulated amino acids, RNA, and peptide molecules, which are drawn from the prebiotic soup, to initiate a molecular symbiosis inside the protocells. This endosymbiosis led to the hierarchical emergence of several requisite components of the translation machine: transfer RNAs (tRNAs), aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS), messenger RNAs (mRNAs), ribosomes, and various enzymes. When assembled in the right order, the translation machine created proteins, a process that transferred information from mRNAs to assemble amino acids into polypeptide chains. This was the beginning of the prebiotic information age. The origin of the genetic code is enigmatic; herein, we propose an evolutionary explanation: the demand for a wide range of protein enzymes over peptides in the prebiotic reactions was the main selective pressure for the origin of information-directed protein synthesis. The molecular basis of the genetic code manifests itself in the interaction of aaRS and their cognate tRNAs. In the beginning, aminoacylated ribozymes used amino acids as a cofactor with the help of bridge peptides as a process for selection between amino acids and their cognate codons/anticodons. This process selects amino acids and RNA species for the next steps. The ribozymes would give rise to pre-tRNA and the bridge peptides to pre-aaRS. Later, variants would appear and evolution would produce different but specific aaRS-tRNA-amino acid combinations. Pre-tRNA designed and built pre-mRNA for the storage of information regarding its cognate amino acid. Each pre-mRNA strand became the storage device for the genetic information that encoded the amino acid sequences in triplet nucleotides. As information appeared in the digital languages of the codon within pre-mRNA and mRNA, and the genetic code for protein synthesis evolved, the prebiotic chemistry then became more organized and directional with the emergence of the translation and genetic code. The genetic code developed in three stages that are coincident with the refinement of the translation machines: the GNC code that was developed by the pre-tRNA/pre-aaRS /pre-mRNA machine, SNS code by the tRNA/aaRS/mRNA machine, and finally the universal genetic code by the tRNA/aaRS/mRNA/ribosome machine. We suggest the coevolution of translation machines and the genetic code. The emergence of the translation machines was the beginning of the Darwinian evolution, an interplay between information and its supporting structure. Our hypothesis provides the logical and incremental steps for the origin of the programmed protein synthesis. In order to better understand the prebiotic information system, we converted letter codons into numerical codons in the Universal Genetic Code Table. We have developed a software, called CATI (Codon-Amino Acid-Translator-Imitator), to translate randomly chosen numerical codons into corresponding amino acids and vice versa. This conversion has granted us insight into how the genetic code might have evolved in the peptide/RNA world. There is great potential in the application of numerical codons to bioinformatics, such as barcoding, DNA mining, or DNA fingerprinting. We constructed the likely biochemical pathways for the origin of translation and the genetic code using the Model-View-Controller (MVC) software framework, and the translation machinery step-by-step. While using AnyLogic software, we were able to simulate and visualize the entire evolution of the translation machines, amino acids, and the genetic code.

Ribosome Structure, Function, and Early Evolution.

Ribosomes are among the largest and most dynamic molecular motors. The structure and dynamics of translation initiation and elongation are reviewed. Three ribosome motions have been identified for initiation and translocation. A swivel motion between the head/beak and the body of the 30S subunit was observed. A tilting dynamic of the head/beak versus the body of the 30S subunit was detected using simulations. A reversible ratcheting motion was seen between the 30S and the 50S subunits that slide relative to one another. The 30S–50S intersubunit contacts regulate translocation. IF2, EF-Tu, and EF-G are homologous G-protein GTPases that cycle on and off the same site on the ribosome. The ribosome, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzymes, transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA), and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) form the core of information processing in cells and are coevolved. Surprisingly, class I and class II aaRS enzymes, with distinct and incompatible folds, are homologs. Divergence of class I and class II aaRS enzymes and coevolution of the genetic code are described by analysis of ancient archaeal species.

Development of a Non-Radioactive Aminoacylation Assay for Quality Control of Purified and Reconstituted In Vitro Translation Systems

In order to understand how proteins folding during translation on the ribosome, we require efficient and highly controllable in-vitro translation systems capable of faithfully synthesizing nascent protein chains. Purified and reconstituted in vitro translation (e.g. PURE IVT) systems meet this need. However, to ensure high-fidelity translation the numerous activities involved must each be properly characterized prior to reconstitution of full-scale translation. In this study, we focused on improving a non-radioactive spectrophotometric assay that facilitates the determination of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities. This assay, monitors pyrophosphate/phosphate generation as a proxy for aminoacylation and can thus be used to monitor the activities of all 20 amino-acyl tRNA synthetase enzymes required for translation. Phosphate generation is coupled to a spectrophotometric change using purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase) which catalyzes phosphorylation of MESG substrates (Amax∼330nm) to make AMMP (Amax∼360nm) products. The main objective of the present study was to clone, express, and purify highly purified (i.e. phosphate-free and ATPase-free) PNPase for the determination of PURE IVT system component activities. This assay will enable the non-radioactive characterization of the activities of natural as well as engineered aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases as required for high-fidelity unnatural amino acid incorporation for co-translational protein folding studies.

The generation of meaningful information in molecular systems.

The physico-chemical processes occurring inside cells are under the computational control of genetic (DNA) and epigenetic (internal structural) programming. The origin and evolution of genetic information (nucleic acid sequences) is reasonably well understood, but scant attention has been paid to the origin and evolution of the molecular biological interpreters that give phenotypic meaning to the sequence information that is quite faithfully replicated during cellular reproduction. The near universality and age of the mapping from nucleotide triplets to amino acids embedded in the functionality of the protein synthetic machinery speaks to the early development of a system of coding which is still extant in every living organism. We take the origin of genetic coding as a paradigm of the emergence of computation in natural systems, focusing on the requirement that the molecular components of an interpreter be synthesized autocatalytically. Within this context, it is seen that interpreters of increasing complexity are generated by series of transitions through stepped dynamic instabilities (non-equilibrium phase transitions). The early phylogeny of the amino acyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes is discussed in such terms, leading to the conclusion that the observed optimality of the genetic code is a natural outcome of the processes of self-organization that produced it.

Let-65 is cytoplasmic methionyl tRNA synthetase in C. elegans

Cytoplasmic methionyl tRNA synthetase (MetRS) is one of more than 20 cytoplasmic aminoacyl tRNA synthetase enzymes (ARS). This family of enzymes catalyzes a process fundamental for protein translation. Using a combination of genetic mapping, oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization, and phenotypic correlation, we show that mutations in the essential gene, let-65, reside within the predicted Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of MetRS, which we have named mars-1. We demonstrate that the lethality associated with alleles of let-65 is fully rescued by a transgenic array that spans the mars-1 genomic region. Furthermore, sequence analysis reveals that six let-65 alleles lead to the alteration of highly conserved amino acids.

The natural history of transfer RNA and its interactions with the ribosome.

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is undoubtedly the most central and one of the oldest molecules of the cell. Without it genetics and coded protein synthesis are impossible. The crucial specificities responsible for the genetic code and accurate translation are by far entrusted to interactions between tRNA and translation proteins, fundamentally aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzymes and elongation factor (EF) switches (Yadavalli and Ibba, 2012). Discrimination mediated by aaRSs and EFs against misincorporated tRNA and amino acids is at least 20 times more stringent than ribosomal recognition, editing, and other proofreading mechanisms (Reynolds et al., 2010). The fact that crucial genetic code specificities in highly selective interactions with protein enzymes do not involve the ribosomal ribonucleoprotein biosynthetic machinery challenges the “replicators first” origin of life scenario of an ancient RNA world (Caetano-Anolles and Seufferheld, 2013). It also highlights the central functional, mechanistic, and evolutionary roles of tRNA and its recognition determinants, which enable coevolution between nucleic acids and proteins. These coevolutionary relationships are compatible with a late origin of the ribosome in its mechanism and not in protein biosynthesis, which was inferred from the computational analysis of thousands of RNAs and proteomes (Harish and Caetano-Anolles, 2012). These analyses showed tight coevolution of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and ribosomal proteins (r-proteins). While these relationships delimit molecular makeup when organisms use translation to negotiate growth and viability amidst environmental change, coevolution also constrains recruitment of the canonical L-shaped structure of the tRNA molecule into a multiplicity of modern functions. These new functions include the synthesis of antibiotics, bacterial cell wall peptidoglycans and tetrapyrroles, modification of bacterial membrane lipids, protein turnover, and the synthesis of other aminoacyl-tRNA molecules (Francklyn and Minajigi, 2010). Here we unfold coevolutionary relationships between tRNA substructures and translation proteins that embody crucial protein-nucleic acid interactions. We focus on a series of computational biology analyses of the structure and conformational diversity of tRNAs and their interacting proteins that provide information about the history of structural accretion of this “adaptor” molecule. Using this information, we place tRNA history within the framework of an evolutionary timeline of protein domain innovation, uncovering the natural history of tRNA within the context of the geological record.

Pulmonary Manifestations of Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a group of connective tissue diseases marked by varying degrees of muscle inflammation and clinical involvement of multiple organs, most notably, the lung. Pulmonary manifestations consist primarily of interstitial lung disease (ILD), which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in myositis patients. Several myositis-specific antibodies have been discovered, as well as antibodies targeting various aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes. These antibodies are associated with various clinical features and a risk for developing ILD, and their presence carries a prognostic value in myositis patients. Steroids remain the first-line treatment for myositis-associated ILD and the antisynthetase syndrome, though other traditional immunosuppressants have demonstrated efficacy in numerous studies. While a majority of patients experience either stabilization or improvement in lung imaging and function, fatal progression is still reported in a significant number of cases. Further research is needed to develop more effective and targeted therapies.

Structural Phylogenomics Retrodicts the Origin of the Genetic Code and Uncovers the Evolutionary Impact of Protein Flexibility

The genetic code shapes the genetic repository. Its origin has puzzled molecular scientists for over half a century and remains a long-standing mystery. Here we show that the origin of the genetic code is tightly coupled to the history of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes and their interactions with tRNA. A timeline of evolutionary appearance of protein domain families derived from a structural census in hundreds of genomes reveals the early emergence of the ‘operational’ RNA code and the late implementation of the standard genetic code. The emergence of codon specificities and amino acid charging involved tight coevolution of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and tRNA structures as well as episodes of structural recruitment. Remarkably, amino acid and dipeptide compositions of single-domain proteins appearing before the standard code suggest archaic synthetases with structures homologous to catalytic domains of tyrosyl-tRNA and seryl-tRNA synthetases were capable of peptide bond formation and aminoacylation. Results reveal that genetics arose through coevolutionary interactions between polypeptides and nucleic acid cofactors as an exacting mechanism that favored flexibility and folding of the emergent proteins. These enhancements of phenotypic robustness were likely internalized into the emerging genetic system with the early rise of modern protein structure.

23 The phylogenomic roots of modern biochemistry, translation, and the genetic code

The origin and evolution of modern biochemistry is a complex problem that has puzzled scientists for almost a century. In my laboratory, we have dissected the emergence of the very early macromolecules that populated primordial cells using ideographic (historical, retrodictive) approaches. Deep evolutionary signals were retrieved from a census of molecular structures and functions in thousands of nucleic acids and millions of proteins using powerful phylogenomic methods. These clock-like signals revealed that modern biochemistry resulted from gradual coevolution and accretion of molecular parts and molecules. This was made evident in the study of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzymes and the ribosomal ensemble. aaRSs coevolved with tRNAs, as catalytic aaRS domains and acceptor arm tRNAs accreted domains, and RNA substructures. Similarly, the ribosome originated in its central ratchet mechanism and expanded by coevolving rRNA–protein interactions (Figure 1). Remarkably, while the first biochemical functions were metabolic, the translation, the genetic code, and the ribosome appeared quite late as ‘exacting’ mechanisms that enhanced protein folding speed and flexibility, benefiting the search for new molecular functions. Our timelines reveal that translation unfolded only after the rise of viruses but prior to the appearance of diversified archaeal microbes. Remarkably, its debut coincided with the rise of nucleotide and amino acid biosynthetic pathways .