Decrease In Translational Efficiency Research Articles

Crowding-Induced Spatial Organization of Gene Expression in Cell-Sized Vesicles.

Cell-free protein synthesis is an important tool for studying gene expression and harnessing it for applications. In cells, gene expression is regulated in part by the spatial organization of transcription and translation. Unfortunately, current cell-free approaches are unable to control the organization of molecular components needed for gene expression, which limits the ability to probe and utilize its effects. Here, we show, using complementary computational and experimental approaches, that macromolecular crowding can be used to control the spatial organization and translational efficiency of gene expression in cell-sized vesicles. Computer simulations and imaging experiments reveal that, as crowding is increased, DNA plasmids become localized at the inner surface of vesicles. Ribosomes, in contrast, remain uniformly distributed, demonstrating that crowding can be used to differentially organize components of gene expression. We further carried out cell-free protein synthesis reactions in cell-sized vesicles and quantified mRNA and protein abundance. At sufficiently high levels of crowding, we observed localization of mRNA near vesicle surfaces, a decrease in translational efficiency and protein abundance, and anomalous scaling of protein abundance as a function of vesicle size. These results are consistent with high levels of crowding causing altered spatial organization and slower diffusion. Our work demonstrates a straightforward way to control the organization of gene expression in cell-sized vesicles and provides insight into the spatial regulation of gene expression in cells.

The P-type pentatricopeptide repeat protein DWEORG1 is a non-previously reported rPPR protein of Arabidopsis mitochondria

Gene expression in plant mitochondria is mainly regulated by nuclear-encoded proteins on a post-transcriptional level. Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins play a major role by participating in mRNA stability, splicing, RNA editing, and translation initiation. PPR proteins were also shown to be part of the mitochondrial ribosome (rPPR proteins), which may act as regulators of gene expression in plants. In this study, we focus on a mitochondrial-located P-type PPR protein—DWEORG1—from Arabidopsis thaliana. Its abundance in mitochondria is high, and it has a similar expression pattern as rPPR proteins. Mutant dweorg1 plants exhibit a slow-growth phenotype. Using ribosome profiling, a decrease in translation efficiency for cox2, rps4, rpl5, and ccmFN2 was observed in dweorg1 mutants, correlating with a reduced accumulation of the Cox2 protein in these plants. In addition, the mitochondrial rRNA levels are significantly reduced in dweorg1 compared with the wild type. DWEORG1 co-migrates with the ribosomal proteins Rps4 and Rpl16 in sucrose gradients, suggesting an association of DWEORG1 with the mitoribosome. Collectively, this data suggests that DWEORG1 encodes a novel rPPR protein that is needed for the translation of cox2, rps4, rpl5, and ccmFN2 and provides a stabilizing function for mitochondrial ribosomes.

Inhibition of the Translation Initiation Factor eIF4A Enhances Tumor Cell Radiosensitivity.

A fundamental component of cellular radioresponse is the translational control of gene expression. Because a critical regulator of translational control is the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) cap binding complex, we investigated whether eIF4A, the RNA helicase component of eIF4F, can serve as a target for radiosensitization. Knockdown of eIF4A using siRNA reduced translational efficiency, as determined from polysome profiles, and enhanced tumor cell radiosensitivity as determined by clonogenic survival. The increased radiosensitivity was accompanied by a delayed dispersion of radiation-induced γH2AX foci, suggestive of an inhibition of DNA double-strand break repair. Studies were then extended to (-)-SDS-1-021, a pharmacologic inhibitor of eIF4A. Treatment of cells with the rocaglate (-)-SDS-1-021 resulted in a decrease in translational efficiency as well as protein synthesis. (-)-SDS-1-021 treatment also enhanced the radiosensitivity of tumor cell lines. This (-)-SDS-1-021-induced radiosensitization was accompanied by a delay in radiation-induced γH2AX foci dispersal, consistent with a causative role for the inhibition of double-strand break repair. In contrast, although (-)-SDS-1-021 inhibited translation and protein synthesis in a normal fibroblast cell line, it had no effect on radiosensitivity of normal cells. Subcutaneous xenografts were then used to evaluate the in vivo response to (-)-SDS-1-021 and radiation. Treatment of mice bearing subcutaneous xenografts with (-)-SDS-1-021 decreased tumor translational efficiency as determined by polysome profiles. Although (-)-SDS-1-021 treatment alone had no effect on tumor growth, it significantly enhanced the radiation-induced growth delay. These results suggest that eIF4A is a tumor-selective target for radiosensitization.

A deep analysis of the proteomic and phosphoproteomic alterations that occur in skeletal muscle after the onset of immobilization.

A decrease in protein synthesis plays a major role in the loss of muscle mass that occurs in response to immobilization. In mice, immobilization leads to a rapid (within 6h) and progressive decrease in the rate of protein synthesis and this effect is mediated by a decrease in translational efficiency. Deep proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses of mouse skeletal muscles revealed that the rapid immobilization-induced decrease in protein synthesis cannot be explained by changes in the abundance or phosphorylation state of proteins that have been implicated in the regulation of translation. The disuse of skeletal muscle, such as that which occurs during immobilization, can lead to the rapid loss of muscle mass, and a decrease in the rate of protein synthesis plays a major role in this process. Indeed, current dogma contends that the decrease in protein synthesis is mediated by changes in the activity of protein kinases (e.g. mTOR); however, the validity of this model has not been established. Therefore, to address this, we first subjected mice to 6, 24 or 72h of unilateral immobilization and then used the SUnSET technique to measure changes in the relative rate of protein synthesis. The result of our initial experiments revealed that immobilization leads to a rapid (within 6h) and progressive decrease in the rate of protein synthesis and that this effect is mediated by a decrease in translational efficiency. We then performed a deep mass spectrometry-based analysis to determine whether this effect could be explained by changes in the expression and/or phosphorylation state of proteins that regulate translation. From this analysis, we were able to quantify 4320 proteins and 15,020 unique phosphorylation sites, and surprisingly, the outcomes revealed that the rapid immobilization-induced decrease in protein synthesis could not be explained by changes in either the abundance, or phosphorylation state, of proteins. The results of our work not only challenge the current dogma in the field, but also provide an expansive resource of information for future studies that are aimed at defining how disuse leads to loss of muscle mass.

Crowding-Induced Spatial Organization of Gene Expression in Cell-Sized Vesicles

E. coli cells, which are commonly used to study gene expression, show membraneless organization of gene expression components within the cell. Cell-free expression systems are also widely used to study gene expression, but a major limitation is the lack of a means to spatially organize DNA plasmids and ribosomes to mimic the cellular environment. In this work, we used computer simulations to guide experimental efforts to control the spatial organization of DNA and ribosomes in cell-sized vesicles using macromolecular crowding. Using Brownian dynamics simulations of coarse-grained models of DNA plasmids and crowders, we showed that plasmids remain uniformly distributed at low levels of crowding but become strongly adsorbed at confining surfaces at high levels of crowding. These effects are due to entropic depletion interactions resulting from the presence of crowding molecules. We validated the simulation results experimentally by using fluorescently-labelled DNA plasmids and ribosomes in cell-sized vesicles at different concentrations of the macromolecular crowder Ficoll-70. Large crowder concentrations resulted in preferential localization of plasmids at the walls of the vesicle, while ribosomes remained uniformly distributed throughout the vesicle. We then used kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to study how protein production was affected by crowding-induced changes in spatial organization and diffusion. The localization of DNA to the wall resulted in lower protein abundance and a decrease in translational efficiency with an increase in system size. Experimentally, we tracked the dynamics of transcription and translation in crowded vesicles using a coupled mRNA/protein reporter technique. These results were consistent with results from simulations. We thus used computer simulations to design a cell-free experimental platform capable of spatial organization of gene expression components. This platform can be used to better understand the spatial control of gene expression in cells.

Abstract 6507: Inhibition of the translation initiation factor eIF4A1 enhances tumor cell radiosensitivity

Abstract The cellular radioresponse is regulated by constitutively expressed proteins and by new gene expression. We have previously shown that radiation induces changes in gene expression primarily via translational control. Regulation of gene translation largely occurs at the initiation stage, and many factors that regulate initiation impact the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) complex. eIF4F is comprised of the cap-binding protein eIF4E, the RNA helicase eIF4A, and the scaffold protein eIF4G. Because eIF4A is considered to regulate the translation of mRNAs involved in cell survival and proliferation, we investigated it as a target for tumor cell radiosensitization. Knockdown of eIF4A1 in the U251 glioblastoma and the HeLa cervical carcinoma cell lines resulted in a decrease in translational efficiency as determined by polysome profiling and an increase in cellular radiosensitivity as determined by clonogenic survival analysis. There was also an increase in γH2AX foci remaining at 24h after irradiation, consistent with an inhibition of DNA double strand break repair. These results suggest that eIF4A serves as a determinant of cellular radiosensitivity. As an additional approach to inhibiting eIF4A, we utilized the rocaglate hydroxamate (-)-SDS-1-021, which prevents eIF4A inclusion into eIF4F. Treatment of U251, HeLa and PSN1 pancreatic carcinoma cells with 10 nM (-)-SDS-1-021 resulted in decreased translational efficiency, which was accompanied by a decrease in protein synthesis. Treatment of the tumor cell lines with (-)-SDS-1-021 immediately before radiation resulted in an increase in radiosensitivity as well as an increase in γH2AX foci remaining at 24h, similar to eIF4A1 knockdown. Importantly, whereas treatment of the normal human fibroblast cell line MRC9 with (-)-SDS-1-021 also inhibited translation and protein synthesis, there was no effect on radiosensitivity. To gain a better understanding of the mechanism of radiosensitization by (-)-SDS-1-021, RNAseq was performed using polysome-bound mRNAs isolated from U251 and MRC9 cells. Cells were treated with 10 nM (-)-SDS-1-021, immediately irradiated (2Gy), and then harvested six hours post-irradiation. In U251 cells treated with 2Gy alone, 192 genes were translationally upregulated. The upregulation of 160 of these genes was inhibited by (-)-SDS-1-021 in the combination treatment group. Similarly, in MRC9 cells, 322 genes were translationally upregulated in response to radiation, and the upregulation of 173 of these was inhibited in the combination treatment group. By Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, the radiation-induced, (-)-SDS-1-021-sensitive genes in U251 were significantly enriched for proteins involved in DNA replication, recombination, and repair, which is in contrast to the MRC9 (-)-SDS-1-021 genes. Altogether, these findings suggest that eIF4A1 is a viable target for tumor radiosensitization. Citation Format: Stacey L. Lehman, Theresa Wechsler, Kayla R. Schwartz, Amy Wahba, Lauren E. Brown, John A. Porco, Jerry Pelletier, Kevin Camphausen, Philip J. Tofilon. Inhibition of the translation initiation factor eIF4A1 enhances tumor cell radiosensitivity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6507.

Translational and transcriptional responses in human primary hepatocytes under hypoxia.

The liver is the primary source of a large number of plasma proteins and plays a critical role in multiple biological processes. Inadequate oxygen supply characterizing various clinical settings such as liver transplantation exposes the liver to hypoxic conditions. Studies assessing hypoxia-induced global translational changes in liver are lacking. Here, we employed a recently developed ribosome-profiling technique to assess global translational responses of human primary hepatocytes exposed to acute hypoxic stress (1% O2) for the short term. In parallel, transcriptome profiling was performed to assess mRNA expression changes. We found that translational responses appeared earlier and were predominant over transcriptional responses. A significant decrease in translational efficiency of several ribosome genes indicated translational inhibition of new ribosome protein synthesis in hypoxia. Pathway enrichment analysis highlighted altered translational regulation of MAPK signaling, drug metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease pathways. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed terms related to translation, metabolism, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and response to stress. Transcriptional induction of genes encoding heat shock proteins was observed within 30 min of hypoxia. Induction of genes encoding stress response mediators, metabolism regulators, and proangiogenic proteins was observed at 240 min. Despite the liver being the primary source of coagulation proteins and the implicated role of hypoxia in thrombosis, limited differences were observed in genes encoding coagulation-associated proteins. Overall, our study demonstrates the predominance of translational regulation over transcription and highlights differentially regulated pathways or biological processes in short-term hypoxic stress responses of human primary hepatocytes. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The novelty of this study lies in applying parallel ribosome- and transcriptome-profiling analyses to human primary hepatocytes in hypoxia. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess global translational responses using ribosome profiling in hypoxic hepatocytes. Our results demonstrate the predominance of translational responses over transcriptional responses in early hepatic hypoxic stress responses. Furthermore, our study reveals multiple pathways and specific genes showing altered regulation in hypoxic hepatocytes.

Abstract 4444: The XPO1 inhibitor Selinexor attenuates global translation and enhances the radiosensitivity of glioblastoma cells grown in vitro and in vivo

Abstract Radiation therapy remains a primary treatment modality for glioblastoma (GBM). To identify novel targets for GBM radiosensitization, the radiation-induced translatome was defined for a series of glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs). Analysis of the radiation-induced translatome of GSCs identified an interacting network in which Exportin 1 (XPO1) serves as a major hub protein. XPO1 transports a variety of proteins and RNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm via the nuclear pore complex and is dysregulated in multiple types of cancers, including GBM. To determine whether XPO1 provides a target for GBM radiosensitization, we defined the effects of the clinically relevant XPO1-inhibitor Selinexor (KPT-330) on the radiosensitivity of GSC lines. Using clonogenic survival analysis, Selinexor was shown to enhance the in vitro radiosensitivity of GSCs but not normal fibroblast cell lines. Because XPO1 mediates the nuclear export of ribosomal subunits, we tested the effect of Selinexor on gene translation using polysomes profiles to calculate translational efficiency and O-propargyl-puromycin (OPP) incorporation to measure de novo protein synthesis. Selinexor significantly reduced translational efficiency in GSCs beginning at 1-6h after treatment, which was accompanied by a decrease in protein synthesis. Moreover, Selinexor exposure increased in 18S and 5S rRNA accumulation in the nucleus with corresponding decreases in the cytoplasm suggesting that the inhibition of rRNA export plays a role in the Selinexor-mediated decrease in protein synthesis. In contrast to the tumor cells, Selinexor had no effect on protein synthesis in normal fibroblast cell lines and astrocytes. To determine the effect of XPO1 inhibition on GBM cells in vivo, mice bearing orthotopic xenografts initiated from a GSC line (NSC11) were treated with Selinexor (20 mg/kg) and tumors were collected over 48 hours. Polysome profiles generated from these orthotopic xenografts indicated that Selinexor treatment resulted in a decrease in translational efficiency with the greatest effect at 24 hours after treatment. These results suggest that consistent with in vitro data, Selinexor inhibits global translation in GBM cells grown under orthotopic, in vivo conditions. To determine the effect of XPO1 inhibition on radioresponse in vivo, mice bearing orthotopic xenografts were treated with Selinexor in combination with fractionated radiation. Whereas Selinexor alone had no effect on survival, the XPO1 inhibitor enhanced radiation-induced prolongation of animal survival with an apparent dose enhancement factor of 2. These results suggest that Selinexor delivered in combination with radiotherapy may improve the effectiveness of GBM treatment. Citation Format: Amy Wahba, John W. O'Neill, Barbara H. Rath, Kevin Camphausen, Philip J. Tofilon. The XPO1 inhibitor Selinexor attenuates global translation and enhances the radiosensitivity of glioblastoma cells grown in vitro and in vivo [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4444.

In Vivo Translatome Profiling in Spinal Muscular Atrophy Reveals a Role for SMN Protein in Ribosome Biology

SummaryGenetic alterations impacting ubiquitously expressed proteins involved in RNA metabolism often result in neurodegenerative conditions, with increasing evidence suggesting that translation defects can contribute to disease. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease caused by low levels of SMN protein, whose role in pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we identified in vivo and in vitro translation defects that are cell autonomous and SMN dependent. By determining in parallel the in vivo transcriptome and translatome in SMA mice, we observed a robust decrease in translation efficiency arising during early stages of disease. We provide a catalogue of RNAs with altered translation efficiency, identifying ribosome biology and translation as central processes affected by SMN depletion. This was further supported by a decrease in the number of ribosomes in SMA motor neurons in vivo. Overall, our findings suggest ribosome biology as an important, yet largely overlooked, factor in motor neuron degeneration.

Abstract 828: Radiosensitization of glioblastoma stem-like cells by Selinexor, a selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE) compound

Abstract Radiation therapy remains a primary treatment modality for glioblastoma (GBM). Recently, radiation-induced translational control has been implicated in regulating processes involved in the cellular radioresponse of GSCs. Reactome analysis disclosed that one major pathway under translational control after irradiation in GSCs is the nuclear export pathway, specifically by the nuclear export receptor Exportin 1 (XPO1, also referred to as CRM1). XPO1 transports over 200 cargo proteins from the nucleus to the cytoplasm via the nuclear pore complex, including several tumor suppressor proteins and it is dysregulated in multiple types of cancers. Selinexor (KPT-330), a SINE compound, is an XPO1 inhibitor that has shown antineoplastic activity in preclinical and clinical models, both alone and in combination with other treatments. In this study, we investigated the effect of XPO1 inhibition by Selinexor in combination with radiation on GSCs. To determine whether XPO1 could serve as a target for GSC radiosensitization we focused on the GSC cell line NSC11. Based on clonogenic survival assay, addition of Selinexor 1h before irradiation significantly enhanced the radiosensitivity of NSC11 cell as compared to controls. To begin to investigate the mechanism behind Selinexor-mediated radiosensitivity, γH2AX foci dispersal, a surrogate marker for DNA double strand breaks (DSB) was evaluated. NSC11 cells treated with Selinexor 1h before irradiation (2Gy) and collected 1-24h later for analysis of γH2AX demonstrated a significant delay in DNA DSB repair 24h after irradiation. Because XPO1 is responsible for export of various cargo proteins out of the nucleus, including several ribosomal subunits, it is predicted to play a role in global translation. To evaluate the effects of XPO1 inhibition on GSCs, the polysome profiles of NSC11 treated with Selinexor were evaluated. Polysome profiles of NSC11 cells demonstrated significant attenuation of the polysome portion of the profile as early as 1h after treatment with Selinexor. After 24h of Selinexor treatment, polysomes were almost undetectable with a decrease in translational efficiency (TE) by more than half. This attenuation is not accompanied by a change in the monosomal peaks, suggesting that poly-ribosome binding to mRNA is specifically affected by radiation. Taken together, these data suggest that XPO1 plays a role in translation as well as in cellular radioresponse, and inhibition of XPO1 by Selinexor enhances GSC radiosensitivity, possibly by inhibiting global translation. Citation Format: Amy Wahba, John W. O'Neill, Kevin Camphausen, Philip J. Tofilon. Radiosensitization of glioblastoma stem-like cells by Selinexor, a selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE) compound [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 828. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-828

Rational Design for Enhanced Gene Therapy with DNA Transposons

Several genetic diseases caused by deficiencies in enzymes required throughout the body can be treated by enzyme replacement therapy at costs of upward of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year per patient. In the long run, such costs are prohibitive. Gene therapy is therefore an appealing option in that its aim is to treat patients after only a single or very few interventions. Clinical-grade viral vectors can efficiently deliver therapeutic expression cassettes, but such viruses can still be expensive to prepare. By contrast, clinical-grade nonviral nucleic acids are relatively inexpensive to produce but difficult to deliver into cells. In this issue of Molecular Therapy, two reports from the same group describe improvements to two limiting factors of nonviral gene therapy using DNA transposons delivered to the liver.1,2 The authors substantially increased efficiency of delivery of transgenes to the target organ and the amount of therapeutic protein exported per cell following transgene delivery.

Developmental roles of Drosophila tRNA processing endonuclease RNase ZL as revealed with a conditional rescue system

Drosophila RNase ZL (dRNaseZ) belongs to a family of endoribonucleases with a major role in tRNA 3′-end processing. The biochemical function of RNase ZL is conserved from yeast to human. Here we present a study of its biological function during Drosophila development. In flies, dRNaseZ provides a non-redundant function, as the RNZED24 knockout (KO) mutation causes early larval lethality. Mosaic and conditional rescue techniques were employed to determine dRNaseZ requirements at later stages. We found that dRNaseZ activity is essential for all phases of fly development that involve cell division, including growth of adult tissue progenitors during larval and metamorphic stages, and gametogenesis in adults. At the cellular level, two major phenotypes were identified—cell growth deficiency in endoreplicating tissues and cell cycle arrest in mitotic tissues. While cell growth and proliferation are both dependant on protein synthesis, the two phenotypes displayed reliance on different dRNaseZ functions. We found that dRNaseZ KO completely blocks tRNA maturation without diminishing the abundance of mature tRNA molecules. Our data indicate that growth arrest of endoreplicating cells is primarily attributed to the relocation of the pool of mature tRNAs into the nuclei causing a decrease in translation efficiency. Mitotically dividing cells appear to be less dependent on translation machinery as they maintain their normal size when deprived of dRNaseZ activity, but rather display a cell cycle arrest at the G2–M transition.

C-Myc affects mRNA translation, cell proliferation and progenitor cell function in the mammary gland

BackgroundThe oncoprotein c-Myc has been intensely studied in breast cancer and mouse mammary tumor models, but relatively little is known about the normal physiological role of c-Myc in the mammary gland. Here we investigated functions of c-Myc during mouse mammary gland development using a conditional knockout approach.ResultsGeneration of c-mycfl/fl mice carrying the mammary gland-specific WAPiCre transgene resulted in c-Myc loss in alveolar epithelial cells starting in mid-pregnancy. Three major phenotypes were observed in glands of mutant mice. First, c-Myc-deficient alveolar cells had a slower proliferative response at the start of pregnancy, causing a delay but not a block of alveolar development. Second, while milk composition was comparable between wild type and mutant animals, milk production was reduced in mutant glands, leading to slower pup weight-gain. Electron microscopy and polysome fractionation revealed a general decrease in translational efficiency. Furthermore, analysis of mRNA distribution along the polysome gradient demonstrated that this effect was specific for mRNAs whose protein products are involved in milk synthesis. Moreover, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed decreased levels of ribosomal RNAs and ribosomal protein-encoding mRNAs in mutant glands. Third, using the mammary transplantation technique to functionally identify alveolar progenitor cells, we observed that the mutant epithelium has a reduced ability to repopulate the gland when transplanted into NOD/SCID recipients.ConclusionWe have demonstrated that c-Myc plays multiple roles in the mouse mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation. c-Myc loss delayed, but did not block proliferation and differentiation in pregnancy. During lactation, lower levels of ribosomal RNAs and proteins were present and translation was generally decreased in mutant glands. Finally, the transplantation studies suggest a role for c-Myc in progenitor cell proliferation and/or survival.See related minireview by Evan et al:

Respiratory syncytial virus infection alters surfactant protein A expression in human pulmonary epithelial cells by reducing translation efficiency

Infection of neonatal lung by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of respiratory dysfunction. Lung alveolar type II and bronchiolar epithelial (Clara) cells secrete surfactant protein A (SP-A), a collectin that is an important component of the pulmonary innate immune system. SP-A binds to the virus, targeting the infectious agent for clearance by host defense mechanisms. We have previously shown that while the steady-state level of SP-A mRNA increases approximately threefold after RSV infection, steady-state levels of cellular and secreted SP-A protein decrease 40-60% in human type II cells in primary culture, suggesting a mechanism where the virus alters components of the innate immune response in infected cells. In these studies, we find that changes in SP-A mRNA and protein levels in RSV-infected NCI-H441 cells (a bronchiolar epithelial cell line) recapitulate the results in SP-A expression observed in primary lung cells. While SP-A protein is normally ubiquitinated, there is no change in the level of SP-A protein ubiquitination or proteasome activity during RSV infection, suggesting that the reduced levels of SP-A protein are not due to degradation by activated proteasomes. SP-A mRNA is appropriately processed and exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm during RSV infection. As evidenced by polysome analysis of SP-A mRNA and pulse-chase analysis of newly synthesized SP-A protein, we find a decrease in translational efficiency that is specific for SP-A mRNA. Therefore, the decrease in SP-A protein levels observed after RSV infection of pulmonary bronchiolar epithelial cells results from a mechanism that affects SP-A mRNA translation efficiency.

Aging-sensitive cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with skeletal muscle hypertrophy

Sarcopenia is an age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. The aged can increase various measures of muscle size and strength in response to resistance exercise (RE), but this may not normalize specific tension. In rats, aging reduces the hypertrophy response and impairs regeneration. In this study, we measured cellular and molecular markers, indicative of muscle hypertrophy, that also respond to acute increases in loading. Comparing 6- and 30-mo-old rats, the aims were to 1) determine whether these markers are altered with age and 2) identify age-sensitive responses to acute RE. The muscles of old rats exhibited sarcopenia involving a deficit in contractile proteins and decreased force generation. The RNA-to-protein ratio was higher in the old muscles, suggesting a decrease in translational efficiency. There was evidence of reduced signaling via components downstream from the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I receptors in old muscles. The mRNA levels of myostatin and suppressor of cytokine signaling 2, negative regulators of muscle mass, were lower in old muscles but did not decrease following RE. RE induced increases in the mRNAs for IGF-I, mechano-growth factor, cyclin D1, and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 were similar in old and young muscles. RE induced phosphorylation of the IGF-I receptor, and Akt increased in young but not old muscles, whereas that of S6K1 was similar for both. The results of this study indicate that a number of components of intracellular signaling pathways are sensitive to age. As a result, key anticatabolic responses appear to be refractory to the stimuli provided by RE.

Inhibition of 6-methyladenine formation decreases the translation efficiency of dihydrofolate reductase transcripts

Cycloleucine was used to inhibit the formation of internal N 6-methyladenosine residues in the messenger ribonucleic acid transcripts from cultured methotrexate resistant mouse sarcoma cells. Cells cultured in cycloleucine produced transcripts deficient in N 6-methyladenosine residues and the 2′-O-methylated nucleosides of the cap structure; however, the formation of the 7-methylguanine nucleoside of the cap was not effected. Cytoplasmic polyadenylated transcripts were isolated from cells which had been pretreated with media containing cycloleucine and translated in an in vitro translation assay. The levels of translated dihydrofolate reductase were then analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The amount of dihydrofolate reductase protein produced from the transcripts of the cycloleucine treated cells was 20% less than untreated transcripts. Ribonuclease protection assays demonstrated little difference in the cytoplasmic levels of dihydrofolate reductase transcripts between treated and untreated cells suggesting that the decrease in translation efficiency was not caused solely by an alteration in the processing or cytoplasmic transport of the transcripts. Translation of in vitro transcribed transcripts showed the presence of 2′-O-methylated nucleosides in the cap structure had a negative effect on translation efficiency, demonstrating that the results observed from cycloleucine treatment could not be due to the inhibition of 2′-O-methylation in the cap. These experiments therefore suggest that an inhibition of N 6-methyladenosine residues in dihydrofolate reductase transcripts significantly alters their rate of translation.

In vivo analysis of plastid psbA, rbcL and rpl32 UTR elements by chloroplast transformation: tobacco plastid gene expression is controlled by modulation of transcript levels and translation efficiency

5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of plastid RNAs act as regulatory elements for post-transcriptional control of gene expression. Polyethylene glycol-mediated plastid transformation with UTR-GUS reporter gene fusions was used to study the function of the psbA, rbcL and rpl32 UTRs in vivo. All gene fusions were expressed from the same promoter, i.e. the promoter of the 16S-rRNA gene, such that variations in RNA and protein levels would be due to the involved UTR elements alone. Transgenic tobacco lines containing different combinations of UTRs showed fivefold variation in the uidA-mRNA level (RNA stability) and approximately 100-fold differences in GUS activity, a measure of translation activity. The rbcL 5'-UTR conferred greater mRNA stability than the psbA 5'-UTR on uidA transcripts. In contrast, the psbA 5'-UTR enhanced translation of GUS to a much greater extent compared to the rbcL 5'-UTR. The psbA 5'-UTR also mediated light-induced activation of translation which was not observed with other constructs. Deletion mutagenesis of an unanalysed terminal sequence element of the psbA 5'-UTR resulted in a twofold drop in uidA-mRNA level and a fourfold decrease in translation efficiency. Exchange of 3'-UTRs results in up to fivefold changes of mRNA levels and does not significantly influence translation efficiency. The mechanical impacts of these results on plastid translation regulation are discussed.

Modulation of Translational Efficiency by Contextual Nucleotides Flanking a Baculovirus Initiator AUG Codon

In a previous study of translational regulation of a baculovirus gene, we observed that translation initiated at an unexpectedly high efficiency from an AUG codon found in what was believed to be a poor context (M.-J. Chang and G. W. Blissard, 1997, J. Virol. 71, 7448–7460). In the current study, we examined the roles of nucleotides flanking a baculovirus AUG initiator codon in modulating translation initiation in lepidopteran insect cells. The roles of nucleotides flanking the AcMNPV gp64 initiator codon were examined by site-directed mutagenesis and functional assays in transfected Sf9 cells. To eliminate potential cis-acting sequences and effects, the gp64 initiator context was cloned in-frame with a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter gene and under the control of a heterologous promoter. All possible single-nucleotide substitutions were generated in positions −6 to −1 and +4 to +6, relative to the A of the initiator AUG codon, which was designated +1. Constructs were transfected into lepidopteran cells and translation products were quantified by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedure. Substitutions of pyrimidines or other nucleotides at the −3 position resulted in little or no detectable effect on translation efficiency. In contrast, specific substitutions at the +4 and +5 positions resulted in approximately 2- to 3-fold increases in translation. Substitution of A in the +4 position resulted in an approximately 3-fold increase in translation, and substitution of any nucleotide for T in the +5 position resulted in approximately 1.9- to 2.8-fold increases. Substitutions at other positions (−6 to −1 and +6) resulted in no detectable increase or decrease in translation efficiency. These experimental results suggest an optimal initiator context of 5′-N N N N N N A U G A a/c/g N-3′ for efficient translation initiation in lepidopteran cells. Consensus translation initiation contexts were generated from baculovirus genes and lepidopteran genes, then compared with the experimental results from the gp64 initiator context.

A High Protein Diet Does Not Improve Protein Synthesis in the Nonweight-Bearing Rat Tibialis Anterior Muscle

We recently demonstrated that a high protein intake partially prevented the decrease in protein synthesis in the atrophied dark soleus muscle of rats that were hindlimb suspended (HS) for 21 d. To study the possible role of protein intake in a muscle more representative of the whole musculature, we measured the effect of a high protein (HP) (30%) and a medium protein (MP) (15%) diet on protein synthesis in the pale fast-twitch tibialis anterior muscle of HS rats. The HS animals were suspended by the tail for 21 d so that only their front legs were able to rest on the floor. The fractional rate of protein synthesis (Ks) was determined in vivo using a flooding dose method. A significantly lower Ks (24-25%) was found in both HS-MP and HS-HP rats compared with their pair-fed control groups. Reduced Ks in HS-MP rats relative to their pair-fed controls resulted from a decrease in the translational efficiency (KRNA, 23%, P < 0.01), while the ratio of RNA to protein (Cs) was unaffected. In contrast, the decrease in KRNA was prevented in the HS-HP animals compared with their pair-fed controls (P < 0.05). Hindlimb suspension did not alter fiber type distribution in the tibialis anterior muscle. However, a higher proportion of intermediate and Type I fibers with a concomitant decrease in Type II fibers was observed in both CT and HS animals fed the HP diet compared with those fed the MP diet (P < 0.05). These data clearly establish that depressed protein synthesis contributes to altered protein accretion in fast-twitch muscles during long-term hindlimb suspension. Although the HP diet prevented the decrease in translational efficiency in muscles from HS rats, it neither sustained protein synthesis nor prevented the reduction in muscle growth. Thus, it seems very unlikely that a high protein diet had any beneficial effect on the overall musculature during weightlessness in rats.

Age-related changes in protein synthesis measured in vivo in rat liver and gastrocnemius muscle

This study analyses in detail the effects of ageing on gastrocnemius muscle and liver protein synthesis measured in vivo at three ages, 1.5 months (young), 12 months (adult) and 24 months (old) in Sprague-Dawley rats. Comparing adult and old rats, muscle protein synthesis was decreased in old rats when expressed per unit of RNA and per day (translational efficiency), was unchanged when expressed in absolute terms and increased when expressed in fractional terms as a result of protein loss due to muscle atrophy. In the liver, only translational efficiency tended to decrease in old rats compared to adult rats. It is concluded that the decline in protein turnover described in vitro is consistent with a decrease in translational efficiency, but that absolute synthesis rates are maintained during ageing. Muscle atrophy is unlikely to result from alterations in protein synthesis pathways.