Functional characterization of yeast mitochondrial release factor 1.

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial release factor was expressed from the cloned MRF1 gene, purified from inclusion bodies, and refolded to give functional activity. The gene encoded a factor with release activity that recognized cognate stop codons in a termination assay with mitochondrial ribosomes and in an assay with Escherichia coli ribosomes. The noncognate stop codon, UGA, encoding tryptophan in mitochondria, was recognized weakly in the heterologous assay. The mitochondrial release factor 1 protein bound to bacterial ribosomes and formed a cross-link with the stop codon within a mRNA bound in a termination complex. The affinity was strongly dependent on the identity of stop signal. Two alleles of MRF1 that contained point mutations in a release factor 1 specific region of the primary structure and that in vivo compensated for mutations in the decoding site rRNA of mitochondrial ribosomes were cloned, and the expressed proteins were purified and refolded. The variant proteins showed impaired binding to the ribosome compared with mitochondrial release factor 1. This structural region in release factors is likely to be involved in codon-dependent specific ribosomal interactions.

Modification of histidine residues on proteins from the 50S subunit of the Escherichia coli ribosome. Effects on subunit assembly and peptidyl transferase centre activity.

L2, L3, L4, L16 and L20 are proteins of the 50S ribosomal subunit of Escherichia coli which are essential for the assembly and activity of the peptidyl transferase centre. These proteins have been modified with the histidine-specific reagent, diethylpyrocarbonate, while L17 and L18 were treated as controls. Each modified protein tested was able to participate in the reconstitution of a 50S particle when replacing its normal counterpart, although the particles assembled with modified L2 were heterogeneous. However, although they could support assembly, modified L16 and L20 were not themselves reconstituted stably, and modified L2 and L3 were found in less than stoichiometric amounts. Particles assembled in the presence of modified L16 retained significant peptidyl transferase activity (60-70% at 10 mM diethylpyrocarbonate) whereas those reconstituted with modified L2, L3, L4 or L20 had low activity (10-30% at 10 mM diethylpyrocarbonate). The particles assembled with the modified control protein, L17, retained 80% of their peptidyl transferase activity under the same conditions. The histidine residues within the essential proteins therefore contribute to ribosome structure and function in three significant ways; in the correct assembly of the ribosomal subunit (L2), for the stable assembly of the proteins within the ribosomal particle (L20 and L16 in particular), and directly or indirectly for the subsequent activity of the peptidyl transferase centre (L2, L3, L4 and L20). The essential nature of the unmodified histidines for assembly events precludes the use of the chemical-modification strategy to test the proposal that a histidine on one of the proteins might participate in the catalytic activity of the centre.

The complex between ribosomal proteins and aminoacyl-tRNA: the interactions and hydrolytic activities are not confined to the proteins L2 and L16 of Escherichia coli ribosomes.

The capacity of some Escherichia coli (E. coli) ribosomal proteins to bind to tRNA and to hydrolyse their aminoacylated derivatives has been analysed. The following results were obtained: (1) The basic proteins L2, L16 and L33 and S20 bound f[3H]Met-tRNA to a similar extent as the total proteins from 30 S (TP30) or 50 S (TP50) when tested by nitrocellulose filtration, in contrast to the more acidic proteins L7/L12 and S8. (2) The proteins of the peptidyltransferase centre, L2 and L16, showed no distinct specificity, binding various charged tRNAs from E. coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae). (3) A number of isolated ribosomal proteins hydrolysed aminoacyl-tRNA as assessed by trichloroacetic acid precipitation, in contrast to the TP30 and TP50. (4) The loss of radiolabel from Ac[14C]Phe-tRNA and from [14C]tRNA in the presence of these proteins could not be prevented by RNasin, a ribonuclease inhibitor, whereas that mediated by a sample of non-RNase-free bovine serum albumin was inhibited. (5) When double-labelled, Ac[3H]Phe-[14C]tRNA was incubated with L2 both radiolabels were lost, indicating that this potential candidate for a peptidyltransferase enzyme does not specifically cleave the ester bond between the aminoacyl residue and the tRNA.

The peptidyltransferase centre of the Escherichia coli ribosome. The histidine of protein L16 affects the reconstitution and control of the active centre but is not essential for release-factor-mediated peptidyl-tRNA hydrolysis and peptide bond formation.

Modification of the Escherichia coli 50S ribosomal subunit with histidine-specific diethyl pyrocarbonate affects peptide bond formation and release-factor-dependent peptidyl-tRNA hydrolysis. Unmodified L16 can restore activity to a split protein fraction from the altered subunit but other proteins of the core also contain histidine residues important for the activity of the peptidyltransferase centre. When isolated and purified by centrifugation, particles reconstituted with unmodified proteins and modified L16 do not retain the altered L16. The modified protein does mediate the partial restoration of peptide bond formation and release-factor-2 activities to these particles. It must be exerting its effect during the assembly of the peptidyltransferase centre in the reconstituted particle. A particle could be reconstituted which lacks L16 and has significant activity in peptide bond formation and peptidyl-tRNA hydrolysis. L16 stimulates these activities. A tighter ribosomal binding of the release factor 2, dependent upon the absence of protein L11, can in part compensate for the loss of activity of the peptidyltransferase centre when it is assembled with either modified L16 or in the absence of L16. The protein and its histidine residue seem important, therefore, for the peptidyltransferase centre to be formed in the correct conformation but not essential for activity once the centre is assembled.

The ribosomal binding domain of the Escherichia coli release factors. Modification of tyrosine in the N-terminal domain of ribosomal protein L11 affects release factors 1 and 2 differentially.

Ribosomal protein L11 is one of only two ribosomal proteins significantly iodinated when Escherichia coli 50 S subunits are modified by immobilized lactoperoxidase, and the major target has been shown previously to be tyrosine at position 7 in the N-terminal domain. This modification reduces in vitro termination activity with release factor (RF)-1 by 70-90%, but RF-2 activity is less affected (30-50%). The loss of activity parallels incorporation of iodine into the subunit. The 50 S subunits from L11-lacking strains of bacteria have highly elevated activity with RF-2 and low activity with RF-1. The iodination does not affect RF-2 activity but reduces the RF-1 activity further. Ribosomal proteins, L2, L6, and L25, are significantly labeled in L11-lacking ribosomes in contrast to the control 50 S subunits. L11 has been modified in isolation and incorporated back efficiently into L11-lacking ribosomes. This L11, iodinated also predominantly at Tyr 7, is unable to restore RF-1 activity to L11-lacking ribosomes in contrast to mock-iodinated protein. These results suggest the involvement of the N terminus of L11 in the binding domain of the bacterial release factors and indicate that there are subtle differences in how the two factors interact with the ribosome.

Modification of Escherichia coli ribosomes: in vitro termination is less dependent on histidine residues at the peptidyl transferase centre when ribosomes lack protein L11.

Chemical modification of ribosomes with the histidine specific reagents, 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (FDNB) and diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP), result in a loss of activities in vitro of codon-dependent termination and peptide bond formation. The binding of release factor (RF) to the ribosome is unaffected but the hydrolysis of peptidyl-tRNA is inhibited. On reversal of the modification activity can be restored. Partial protection is provided by chloramphenicol indicating that one or more of the affected residues is at the peptidyl transferase centre. Codon-dependent termination on ribosomes lacking L11, which have a greater affinity for RF-2, is significantly less affected by the modification than on control ribosomes. Peptide bond formation is affected similarly on L11 lacking and normal ribosomes.