Error-prone protein synthesis recapitulates early symptoms of Alzheimer disease in aging mice.

Age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are associated with the aggregation and propagation of specific pathogenic protein species (e.g., Aß, α-synuclein). However, whether disruption of synaptic homeostasis results from protein misfolding per se rather than accumulation of a specific rogue protein is an unexplored question. Here, we show that error-prone translation, with its frequent outcome of random protein misfolding, is sufficient to recapitulate many early features of NDDs, including perturbed Ca2+ signaling, neuronal hyperexcitability, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mice expressing the ribosomal ambiguity mutation Rps9 D95N exhibited disrupted synaptic homeostasis resulting in behavioral changes reminiscent of early Alzheimer disease (AD), such as learning and memory deficits, maladaptive emotional responses, epileptiform discharges, suppressed circadian rhythmicity, and sleep fragmentation, accompanied by hippocampal NPY expression and cerebral glucose hypometabolism. Collectively, our findings suggest that random protein misfolding may contribute to the pathogenesis of age-related NDDs, providing an alternative framework for understanding the initiation of AD.

Phenotype of Mrps5-Associated Phylogenetic Polymorphisms Is Intimately Linked to Mitoribosomal Misreading.

We have recently identified point mutation V336Y in mitoribosomal protein Mrps5 (uS5m) as a mitoribosomal ram (ribosomal ambiguity) mutation conferring error-prone mitochondrial protein synthesis. In vivo in transgenic knock-in animals, homologous mutation V338Y was associated with a discrete phenotype including impaired mitochondrial function, anxiety-related behavioral alterations, enhanced susceptibility to noise-induced hearing damage, and accelerated metabolic aging in muscle. To challenge the postulated link between Mrps5 V338Y-mediated misreading and the in vivo phenotype, we introduced mutation G315R into the mouse Mrps5 gene as Mrps5 G315R is homologous to the established bacterial ram mutation RpsE (uS5) G104R. However, in contrast to bacterial translation, the homologous G → R mutation in mitoribosomal Mrps5 did not affect the accuracy of mitochondrial protein synthesis. Importantly, in the absence of mitochondrial misreading, homozygous mutant MrpS5G315R/G315R mice did not show a phenotype distinct from wild-type animals.

Premature aging in mice with error-prone protein synthesis.

The main source of error in gene expression is messenger RNA decoding by the ribosome. Translational accuracy has been suggested on a purely correlative basis to positively coincide with maximum possible life span among different rodent species, but causal evidence that translation errors accelerate aging in vivo and limit life span is lacking. We have now addressed this question experimentally by creating heterozygous knock-in mice that express the ribosomal ambiguity mutation RPS9 D95N, resulting in genome-wide error-prone translation. Here, we show that Rps9 D95N knock-in mice exhibit reduced life span and a premature onset of numerous aging-related phenotypes, such as reduced weight, chest deformation, hunchback posture, poor fur condition, and urinary syndrome, together with lymphopenia, increased levels of reactive oxygen species-inflicted damage, accelerated age-related changes in DNA methylation, and telomere attrition. Our results provide an experimental link between translational accuracy, life span, and aging-related phenotypes in mammals.

Mitochondrial Mistranslation in Brain Provokes a Metabolic Response Which Mitigates the Age-Associated Decline in Mitochondrial Gene Expression.

Mitochondrial misreading, conferred by mutation V338Y in mitoribosomal protein Mrps5, in-vivo is associated with a subtle neurological phenotype. Brain mitochondria of homozygous knock-in mutant Mrps5V338Y/V338Y mice show decreased oxygen consumption and reduced ATP levels. Using a combination of unbiased RNA-Seq with untargeted metabolomics, we here demonstrate a concerted response, which alleviates the impaired functionality of OXPHOS complexes in Mrps5 mutant mice. This concerted response mitigates the age-associated decline in mitochondrial gene expression and compensates for impaired respiration by transcriptional upregulation of OXPHOS components together with anaplerotic replenishment of the TCA cycle (pyruvate, 2-ketoglutarate).

Ribosomal mistranslation leads to silencing of the unfolded protein response and increased mitochondrial biogenesis.

Translation fidelity is the limiting factor in the accuracy of gene expression. With an estimated frequency of 10-4, errors in mRNA decoding occur in a mostly stochastic manner. Little is known about the response of higher eukaryotes to chronic loss of ribosomal accuracy as per an increase in the random error rate of mRNA decoding. Here, we present a global and comprehensive picture of the cellular changes in response to translational accuracy in mammalian ribosomes impaired by genetic manipulation. In addition to affecting established protein quality control pathways, such as elevated transcript levels for cytosolic chaperones, activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and translational slowdown, ribosomal mistranslation led to unexpected responses. In particular, we observed increased mitochondrial biogenesis associated with import of misfolded proteins into the mitochondria and silencing of the unfolded protein response in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Effects of the 1- N-(4-Amino-2 S-hydroxybutyryl) and 6'- N-(2-Hydroxyethyl) Substituents on Ribosomal Selectivity, Cochleotoxicity, and Antibacterial Activity in the Sisomicin Class of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics.

Syntheses of the 6'- N-(2-hydroxyethyl) and 1- N-(4-amino-2 S-hydroxybutyryl) derivatives of the 4,6-aminoglycoside sisomicin and that of the doubly modified 1- N-(4-amino-2 S-hydroxybutyryl)-6'- N-(2-hydroxyethyl) derivative known as plazomicin are reported together with their antibacterial and antiribosomal activities and selectivities. The 6'- N-(2-hydroxyethyl) modification results in a moderate increase in prokaryotic/eukaryotic ribosomal selectivity, whereas the 1- N-(4-amino-2 S-hydroxybutyryl) modification has the opposite effect. When combined in plazomicin, the effects of the two groups on ribosomal selectivity cancel each other out, leading to the prediction that plazomicin will exhibit ototoxicity comparable to those of the parent and the current clinical aminoglycoside antibiotics gentamicin and tobramycin, as borne out by ex vivo studies with mouse cochlear explants. The 6'- N-(2-hydroxyethyl) modification restores antibacterial activity in the presence of the AAC(6') aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, while the 1- N-(4-amino-2 S-hydroxybutyryl) modification overcomes resistance to the AAC(2') class but is still affected to some extent by the AAC(3) class. Neither modification is able to circumvent the ArmA ribosomal methyltransferase-induced aminoglycoside resistance. The use of phenyltriazenyl protection for the secondary amino group of sisomicin facilitates the synthesis of each derivative and their characterization through the provision of sharp NMR spectra for all intermediates.