The Arabidopsis tDR Ala forms G-quadruplex structures that can be unwound by the DExH1 DEA(D/H)-box RNA helicase.

As in many other organisms, tRNA-derived RNAs (tDRs) exist in plants and likely have multiple functions. We previously showed that tDRs are present in Arabidopsis under normal growth conditions, and that the ones originating from alanine tRNAs are the most abundant in leaves. We also showed that tDRs Ala of 20 nt produced from mature tRNAAla (AGC) can block in vitro protein translation. Here, we report that first, these tDRs Ala (AGC) can be found within peculiar foci in the cell that are neither P-bodies nor stress granules and, second, that they assemble into intermolecular RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) structures. Such tDR Ala rG4 structures can specifically interact with an Arabidopsis DEA(D/H) RNA helicase, the DExH1 protein, and unwind them. The rG4-DExH1 protein interaction relies on a glycine-arginine domain with RGG/RG/GR/GRR motifs present at the N-terminal extremity of the protein. Mutations on the four guanine residues located at the 5' extremity of the tDR Ala abolish its rG4 structure assembly, association with the DExH1 protein, and foci formation, but they do not prevent protein translation inhibition in vitro. Our data suggest that the sequestration of tDRs Ala into rG4 complexes might represent a way to modulate accessible and functional tDRs for translation inhibition within the plant cell via the activity of a specific RNA helicase, DExH1.

PlantRNA 2.0: an updated database dedicated to tRNAs of photosynthetic eukaryotes.

PlantRNA (http://plantrna.ibmp.cnrs.fr/) is a comprehensive database of transfer RNA (tRNA) gene sequences retrieved from fully annotated nuclear, plastidial and mitochondrial genomes of photosynthetic organisms. In the first release (PlantRNA 1.0), tRNA genes from 11 organisms were annotated. In this second version, the annotation was implemented to 51 photosynthetic species covering the whole phylogenetic tree of photosynthetic organisms, from the most basal group of Archeplastida, the glaucophyte Cyanophora paradoxa, to various land plants. tRNA genes from lower photosynthetic organisms such as streptophyte algae or lycophytes as well as extremophile photosynthetic species such as Eutrema parvulum were incorporated in the database. As a whole, about 37 000 tRNA genes were accurately annotated. In the frame of the tRNA genes annotation from the genome of the Rhodophyte Chondrus crispus, non-canonical splicing sites in the D- or T-regions of tRNA molecules were identified and experimentally validated. As for PlantRNA 1.0, comprehensive biological information including 5'- and 3'-flanking sequences, A and B box sequences, region of transcription initiation and poly(T) transcription termination stretches, tRNA intron sequences and tRNA mitochondrial import are included.

The decoupled evolution of the organellar genomes of Silene nutans leads to distinct roles in the speciation process.

There is growing evidence that cytonuclear incompatibilities (i.e. disruption of cytonuclear coadaptation) might contribute to the speciation process. In a former study, we described the possible involvement of plastid-nuclear incompatibilities in the reproductive isolation between four lineages of Silene nutans (Caryophyllaceae). Because organellar genomes are usually cotransmitted, we assessed whether the mitochondrial genome could also be involved in the speciation process, knowing that the gynodioecious breeding system of S. nutans is expected to impact the evolutionary dynamics of this genome. Using hybrid capture and high-throughput DNA sequencing, we analyzed diversity patterns in the genic content of the organellar genomes in the four S. nutans lineages. Contrary to the plastid genome, which exhibited a large number of fixed substitutions between lineages, extensive sharing of polymorphisms between lineages was found in the mitochondrial genome. In addition, numerous recombination-like events were detected in the mitochondrial genome, loosening the linkage disequilibrium between the organellar genomes and leading to decoupled evolution. These results suggest that gynodioecy shaped mitochondrial diversity through balancing selection, maintaining ancestral polymorphism and, thus, limiting the involvement of the mitochondrial genome in evolution of hybrid inviability between S. nutans lineages.

Plant tRNA functions beyond their major role in translation.

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are well known for their essential function as adapters in delivering amino acids to ribosomes and making the link between mRNA and protein according to the genetic code. Besides this central role in protein synthesis, other functions are attributed to these macromolecules, or their genes, in all living organisms. This review focuses on these extra functions of tRNAs in photosynthetic organisms. For example, tRNAs are implicated in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, mRNA stabilization or transport, and priming the reverse transcription of viral RNAs, and tRNA-like structures play important roles in RNA viral genomes. Another important function of tRNAs in regulating gene expression is related to their cleavage allowing the production of small non-coding RNAs termed tRNA-derived RNAs. Here, we examine in more detail the biogenesis of tRNA-derived RNAs and their emerging functions in plants.

The structure of the mouse ADAT2/ADAT3 complex reveals the molecular basis for mammalian tRNA wobble adenosine-to-inosine deamination.

Post-transcriptional modification of tRNA wobble adenosine into inosine is crucial for decoding multiple mRNA codons by a single tRNA. The eukaryotic wobble adenosine-to-inosine modification is catalysed by the ADAT (ADAT2/ADAT3) complex that modifies up to eight tRNAs, requiring a full tRNA for activity. Yet, ADAT catalytic mechanism and its implication in neurodevelopmental disorders remain poorly understood. Here, we have characterized mouse ADAT and provide the molecular basis for tRNAs deamination by ADAT2 as well as ADAT3 inactivation by loss of catalytic and tRNA-binding determinants. We show that tRNA binding and deamination can vary depending on the cognate tRNA but absolutely rely on the eukaryote-specific ADAT3 N-terminal domain. This domain can rotate with respect to the ADAT catalytic domain to present and position the tRNA anticodon-stem-loop correctly in ADAT2 active site. A founder mutation in the ADAT3 N-terminal domain, which causes intellectual disability, does not affect tRNA binding despite the structural changes it induces but most likely hinders optimal presentation of the tRNA anticodon-stem-loop to ADAT2.

Correction: Co-Evolution of Mitochondrial tRNA Import and Codon Usage Determines Translational Efficiency in the Green Alga Chlamydomonas.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002946.].

Cyanophora paradoxa mitochondrial tRNAs play a double game.

Present-day mitochondria derive from a single endosymbiosis of an α-proteobacterium into a proto-eukaryotic cell. Since this monophyletic event, mitochondria have evolved considerably, and unique traits have been independently acquired in the different eukaryotic kingdoms. Mitochondrial genome expression and RNA metabolism have diverged greatly. Here, Cyanophora paradoxa, a freshwater alga considered as a living fossil among photosynthetic organisms, represents an exciting model for studying the evolution of mitochondrial gene expression. As expected, fully mature tRNAs are released from primary transcripts to function in mitochondrial translation. We also show that these tRNAs take part in an mRNA processing punctuation mechanism in a non-conventional manner, leading to mRNA-tRNA hybrids with a CCA triplet at their 3'-extremities. In this case, tRNAs are probably used as stabilizing structures impeding the degradation of mRNA by exonucleases. From our data we propose that the present-day tRNA-like elements (t-elements) found at the 3'-terminals of mitochondrial mRNAs in land plants originate from true tRNAs like those observed in the mitochondria of this basal photosynthetic glaucophyte.

Rapid Shifts in Mitochondrial tRNA Import in a Plant Lineage with Extensive Mitochondrial tRNA Gene Loss.

In most eukaryotes, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are one of the very few classes of genes remaining in the mitochondrial genome, but some mitochondria have lost these vestiges of their prokaryotic ancestry. Sequencing of mitogenomes from the flowering plant genus Silene previously revealed a large range in tRNA gene content, suggesting rapid and ongoing gene loss/replacement. Here, we use this system to test longstanding hypotheses about how mitochondrial tRNA genes are replaced by importing nuclear-encoded tRNAs. We traced the evolutionary history of these gene loss events by sequencing mitochondrial genomes from key outgroups (Agrostemma githago and Silene [=Lychnis] chalcedonica). We then performed the first global sequencing of purified plant mitochondrial tRNA populations to characterize the expression of mitochondrial-encoded tRNAs and the identity of imported nuclear-encoded tRNAs. We also confirmed the utility of high-throughput sequencing methods for the detection of tRNA import by sequencing mitochondrial tRNA populations in a species (Solanum tuberosum) with known tRNA trafficking patterns. Mitochondrial tRNA sequencing in Silene revealed substantial shifts in the abundance of some nuclear-encoded tRNAs in conjunction with their recent history of mt-tRNA gene loss and surprising cases where tRNAs with anticodons still encoded in the mitochondrial genome also appeared to be imported. These data suggest that nuclear-encoded counterparts are likely replacing mitochondrial tRNAs even in systems with recent mitochondrial tRNA gene loss, and the redundant import of a nuclear-encoded tRNA may provide a mechanism for functional replacement between translation systems separated by billions of years of evolutionary divergence.

Epigenetic silencing of clustered tRNA genes in Arabidopsis.

Beyond their key role in translation, cytosolic transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are involved in a wide range of other biological processes. Nuclear tRNA genes (tDNAs) are transcribed by the RNA polymerase III (RNAP III) and cis-elements, trans-factors as well as genomic features are known to influence their expression. In Arabidopsis, besides a predominant population of dispersed tDNAs spread along the 5 chromosomes, some clustered tDNAs have been identified. Here, we demonstrate that these tDNA clusters are transcriptionally silent and that pathways involved in the maintenance of DNA methylation play a predominant role in their repression. Moreover, we show that clustered tDNAs exhibit repressive chromatin features whilst their dispersed counterparts contain permissive euchromatic marks. This work demonstrates that both genomic and epigenomic contexts are key players in the regulation of tDNAs transcription. The conservation of most of these regulatory processes suggests that this pioneering work in Arabidopsis can provide new insights into the regulation of RNA Pol III transcription in other organisms, including vertebrates.

Combining tRNA sequencing methods to characterize plant tRNA expression and post-transcriptional modification.

Differences in tRNA expression have been implicated in a remarkable number of biological processes. There is growing evidence that tRNA genes can play dramatically different roles depending on both expression and post-transcriptional modification, yet sequencing tRNAs to measure abundance and detect modifications remains challenging. Their secondary structure and extensive post-transcriptional modifications interfere with RNA-seq library preparation methods and have limited the utility of high-throughput sequencing technologies. Here, we combine two modifications to standard RNA-seq methods by treating with the demethylating enzyme AlkB and ligating with tRNA-specific adapters in order to sequence tRNAs from four species of flowering plants, a group that has been shown to have some of the most extensive rates of post-transcriptional tRNA modifications. This protocol has the advantage of detecting full-length tRNAs and sequence variants that can be used to infer many post-transcriptional modifications. We used the resulting data to produce a modification index of almost all unique reference tRNAs in Arabidopsis thaliana, which exhibited many anciently conserved similarities with humans but also positions that appear to be 'hot spots' for modifications in angiosperm tRNAs. We also found evidence based on northern blot analysis and droplet digital PCR that, even after demethylation treatment, tRNA-seq can produce highly biased estimates of absolute expression levels most likely due to biased reverse transcription. Nevertheless, the generation of full-length tRNA sequences with modification data is still promising for assessing differences in relative tRNA expression across treatments, tissues or subcellular fractions and help elucidate the functional roles of tRNA modifications.

Plant RNases T2, but not Dicer-like proteins, are major players of tRNA-derived fragments biogenesis.

RNA fragments deriving from tRNAs (tRFs) exist in all branches of life and the repertoire of their biological functions regularly increases. Paradoxically, their biogenesis remains unclear. The human RNase A, Angiogenin, and the yeast RNase T2, Rny1p, generate long tRFs after cleavage in the anticodon region. The production of short tRFs after cleavage in the D or T regions is still enigmatic. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis Dicer-like proteins, DCL1-4, do not play a major role in the production of tRFs. Rather, we demonstrate that the Arabidopsis RNases T2, called RNS, are key players of both long and short tRFs biogenesis. Arabidopsis RNS show specific expression profiles. In particular, RNS1 and RNS3 are mainly found in the outer tissues of senescing seeds where they are the main endoribonucleases responsible of tRNA cleavage activity for tRFs production. In plants grown under phosphate starvation conditions, the induction of RNS1 is correlated with the accumulation of specific tRFs. Beyond plants, we also provide evidence that short tRFs can be produced by the yeast Rny1p and that, in vitro, human RNase T2 is also able to generate long and short tRFs. Our data suggest an evolutionary conserved feature of these enzymes in eukaryotes.

Arabidopsis tRNA-derived fragments as potential modulators of translation.

Transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) exist in all branches of life. They are involved in RNA degradation, regulation of gene expression, ribosome biogenesis. In archaebacteria, kinetoplastid, yeast, and human cells, they were also shown to regulate translation. In Arabidopsis, the tRFs population fluctuates under developmental or environmental conditions but their functions are yet poorly understood. Here, we show that populations of long (30-35 nt) or short (19-25 nt) tRFs produced from Arabidopsis tRNAs can inhibit in vitro translation of a reporter gene. Analysing a series of oligoribonucleotides mimicking natural tRFs, we demonstrate that only a limited set of tRFs possess the ability to affect protein synthesis. Out of a dozen of tRFs, only two deriving from tRNAAla(AGC) and tRNAAsn(GUU) strongly attenuate translation in vitro. Contrary to human tRF(Ala), the 4 Gs present at the 5' extremity of Arabidopsis tRF(Ala) are not implicated in this inhibition while the G18 and G19 residues are essential. Protein synthesis inhibition by tRFs does not require complementarity with the translated mRNA but, having the capability to be associated with polyribosomes, tRFs likely act as general modulation factors of the translation process in plants.

The multi-faceted regulation of nuclear tRNA gene transcription.

Transfer RNAs are among the most ancient molecules of life on earth. Beyond their crucial role in protein synthesis as carriers of amino acids, they are also important players in a plethora of other biological processes. Many debates in term of biogenesis, regulation and function persist around these fascinating non-coding RNAs. Our review focuses on the first step of their biogenesis in eukaryotes, i.e. their transcription from nuclear genes. Numerous and complementary ways have emerged during evolution to regulate transfer RNA gene transcription. Here, we will summarize the different actors implicated in this process: cis-elements, trans-factors, genomic contexts, epigenetic environments and finally three-dimensional organization of nuclear genomes. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 2019 © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(8):1099-1108, 2019.

The nuclear and organellar tRNA-derived RNA fragment population in Arabidopsis thaliana is highly dynamic.

In the expanding repertoire of small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) have been identified in all domains of life. Their existence in plants has been already proven but no detailed analysis has been performed. Here, short tRFs of 19-26 nucleotides were retrieved from Arabidopsis thaliana small RNA libraries obtained from various tissues, plants submitted to abiotic stress or fractions immunoprecipitated with ARGONAUTE 1 (AGO1). Large differences in the tRF populations of each extract were observed. Depending on the tRNA, either tRF-5D (due to a cleavage in the D region) or tRF-3T (via a cleavage in the T region) were found and hot spots of tRNA cleavages have been identified. Interestingly, up to 25% of the tRFs originate from plastid tRNAs and we provide evidence that mitochondrial tRNAs can also be a source of tRFs. Very specific tRF-5D deriving not only from nucleus-encoded but also from plastid-encoded tRNAs are strongly enriched in AGO1 immunoprecipitates. We demonstrate that the organellar tRFs are not found within chloroplasts or mitochondria but rather accumulate outside the organelles. These observations suggest that some organellar tRFs could play regulatory functions within the plant cell and may be part of a signaling pathway.

Polycytidylation of mitochondrial mRNAs in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

The unicellular photosynthetic organism, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, represents a powerful model to study mitochondrial gene expression. Here, we show that the 5'- and 3'-extremities of the eight Chlamydomonas mitochondrial mRNAs present two unusual characteristics. First, all mRNAs start primarily at the AUG initiation codon of the coding sequence which is often marked by a cluster of small RNAs. Second, unusual tails are added post-transcriptionally at the 3'-extremity of all mRNAs. The nucleotide composition of the tails is distinct from that described in any other systems and can be partitioned between A/U-rich tails, predominantly composed of Adenosine and Uridine, and C-rich tails composed mostly of Cytidine. Based on 3' RACE experiments, 22% of mRNAs present C-rich tails, some of them composed of up to 20 consecutive Cs. Polycytidylation is specific to mitochondria and occurs primarily on mRNAs. This unprecedented post-transcriptional modification seems to be a specific feature of the Chlorophyceae class of green algae and points out the existence of novel strategies in mitochondrial gene expression.

Complete Sequence, Multichromosomal Architecture and Transcriptome Analysis of the Solanum tuberosum Mitochondrial Genome.

Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) in higher plants can induce cytoplasmic male sterility and be somehow involved in nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions affecting plant growth and agronomic performance. They are larger and more complex than in other eukaryotes, due to their recombinogenic nature. For most plants, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can be represented as a single circular chromosome, the so-called master molecule, which includes repeated sequences that recombine frequently, generating sub-genomic molecules in various proportions. Based on the relevance of the potato crop worldwide, herewith we report the complete mtDNA sequence of two S. tuberosum cultivars, namely Cicero and Désirée, and a comprehensive study of its expression, based on high-coverage RNA sequencing data. We found that the potato mitogenome has a multi-partite architecture, divided in at least three independent molecules that according to our data should behave as autonomous chromosomes. Inter-cultivar variability was null, while comparative analyses with other species of the Solanaceae family allowed the investigation of the evolutionary history of their mitogenomes. The RNA-seq data revealed peculiarities in transcriptional and post-transcriptional processing of mRNAs. These included co-transcription of genes with open reading frames that are probably expressed, methylation of an rRNA at a position that should impact translation efficiency and extensive RNA editing, with a high proportion of partial editing implying frequent mis-targeting by the editing machinery.

A genome-scale analysis of mRNAs targeting to plant mitochondria: upstream AUGs in 5' untranslated regions reduce mitochondrial association.

Intracellular sorting of mRNAs is an essential process for regulating gene expression and protein localization. Most mitochondrial proteins are nuclear-encoded and imported into the mitochondria through post-translational or co-translational processes. In the latter case, mRNAs are found to be enriched in the vicinity of mitochondria. A genome-scale analysis of mRNAs associated with mitochondria has been performed to determine plant cytosolic mRNAs targeted to the mitochondrial surface. Many messengers encoding mitochondrial proteins were found associated with mitochondria. These mRNAs correspond to particular functions and complexes, such as respiration or mitoribosomes, which indicates a coordinated control of mRNA localization within metabolic pathways. In addition, upstream AUGs in 5' untranslated regions (UTRs), which modulate the translation efficiency of downstream sequences, were found to negatively affect the association of mRNAs with mitochondria. A mutational approach coupled with in vivo mRNA visualization confirmed this observation. Moreover, this technique allowed the identification of 3'-UTRs as another essential element for mRNA localization at the mitochondrial surface. Therefore, this work offers new insights into the mechanism, function and regulation of the association of cytosolic mRNAs with plant mitochondria.

Plant-Specific Preprotein and Amino Acid Transporter Proteins Are Required for tRNA Import into Mitochondria.

A variety of eukaryotes, in particular plants, do not contain the required number of tRNAs to support the translation of mitochondria-encoded genes and thus need to import tRNAs from the cytosol. This study identified two Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) proteins, Tric1 and Tric2 (for tRNA import component), which on simultaneous inactivation by T-DNA insertion lines displayed a severely delayed and chlorotic growth phenotype and significantly reduced tRNA import capacity into isolated mitochondria. The predicted tRNA-binding domain of Tric1 and Tric2, a sterile-α-motif at the C-terminal end of the protein, was required to restore tRNA uptake ability in mitochondria of complemented plants. The purified predicted tRNA-binding domain binds the T-arm of the tRNA for alanine with conserved lysine residues required for binding. T-DNA inactivation of both Tric proteins further resulted in an increase in the in vitro rate of in organello protein synthesis, which was mediated by a reorganization of the nuclear transcriptome, in particular of genes encoding a variety of proteins required for mitochondrial gene expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels. The characterization of Tric1/2 provides mechanistic insight into the process of tRNA import into mitochondria and supports the theory that the tRNA import pathway resulted from the repurposing of a preexisting protein import apparatus.