A high-fidelity, dual site-specific integration system in CHO cells by a Bxb1 recombinase.

Site-specific integration (SSI) via recombinase mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) has shown advantages over random integration methods for expression of biotherapeutics. As an extension of our previous work developing SSI host cells, we developed a dual-site SSI system having two independent integration sites at different genomic loci, each containing a unique landing pad (LP). This system was leveraged to generate and compare two RMCE hosts, one (dFRT) compatible with the Flp recombinase, the other (dBxb1) compatible with the Bxb1 recombinase. Our comparison demonstrated that the dBxb1 host was able to generate stable transfectant pools in a shorter time frame, and cells within the dBxb1 transfectant pools were more phenotypically and genotypically stable. We further improved process performance of the dBxb1 host, resulting in desired fed batch performance attributes. Clones derived from this improved host (referred as 41L-11) maintained stable expression profiles over extended generations. While the data represents a significant improvement in the efficiency of our cell line development process, the dual LP architecture also affords a high degree of flexibility for development of complex protein modalities.

The impact of expression vector position on transgene transcription allows for rational expression vector design in a targeted integration system.

Site-specific integration (SSI) technology has emerged as an effective approach by the pharmaceutical industry for the development of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. While SSI systems have been demonstrated to be effective for the development of CHO cell lines, they can be limiting in terms of both transgene expression and in the case of multi-specifics, the ability to generate the correct product of interest. To maximize the performance of Pfizer's dual SSI expression system for expressing monoclonal and multi-specific antibodies, we used a novel approach to investigate the positional effect of transgenes within expression vectors by engineering nucleotide polymorphisms (NP)s to use as biomarkers to track the level of transcript output from each expression vector position. We observed differences in transcript level for two different transgenes across all four expression vector positions interrogated. We then applied these learnings to rationally design expression vectors for six different mAbs and a multi-specific antibody. We showed enhanced productivity and optimal product quality when compared to a conventional expression vector topology. The learnings gained here can potentially aid in the determination of optimal vector topologies for several IgG-like multi-specific formats.

A genetic off-target event in a site-specific integration cell line expressing monoclonal antibody has no impact on commercial suitability.

Site-specific integration (SSI) cell line systems are gaining popularity for biotherapeutic development and production. Despite the proven advantages for these expression hosts, the SSI system is still susceptible to rare off-target events and potential vector rearrangements. Here we describe the development process of an SSI cell line for production of an IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb-086). During cell line generational studies to assess suitability of clone C10 for commercial purposes, restriction fragment lengths of genomic DNA harboring the light chain (LC) were not in agreement with the predicted size. We first confirmed that the SSI landing-pad achieved occupancy of the desired expression plasmid. Additional investigation revealed that random integration had occurred, resulting in the acquisition of a partial copy of the LC and a full-length copy of the heavy chain (HC) at a different locus in the host genome. This off-target event had no impact on the genotypic consistency and phenotypic stability of the cell line, the production process, or the drug substance product quality. Given the genetic, phenotypic, and process consistency of the cell line, clone C10 was deemed suitable as a manufacturing cell line.

Impacts of fast production of afucosylated antibodies and Fc mutants in ExpiCHO-S™ for enhancing FcγRIIIa binding and NK cell activation.

This study has employed mammalian transient expression systems to generate afucosylated antibodies and antibody Fc mutants for rapid candidate screening in discovery and early development. While chemical treatment with the fucose analogue 2-fluoro-peracetyl-fucose during transient expression only partially produced antibodies with afucosylated N-glycans, the genetic inactivation of the FUT8 gene in ExpiCHO-S™ by CRISPR/Cas9 enabled the transient production of fully afucosylated antibodies. Human IgG1 and murine IgG2a generated by the ExpiCHOfut8KO cell line possessed a 8-to-11-fold enhanced FcγRIIIa binding activity in comparison with those produced by ExpiCHO-S™. The Fc mutant S239D/S298A/I332E produced by ExpiCHO-S™ had an approximate 2-fold higher FcγRIIIa affinity than that of the afucosylated wildtype molecule, although it displayed significantly lower thermal-stability. When the Fc mutant was produced in the ExpiCHOfut8KO cell line, the resulting afucosylated Fc mutant antibody had an additional approximate 6-fold increase in FcγRIIIa binding affinity. This synergistic effect between afucosylation and the Fc mutations was further verified by a natural killer (NK) cell activation assay. Together, these results have not only established an efficient large-scale transient CHO system for rapid production of afucosylated antibodies, but also confirmed a cooperative impact between afucosylation and Fc mutations on FcγRIIIa binding and NK cell activation.

New Opportunities in Glycan Engineering for Therapeutic Proteins.

Glycans as sugar polymers are important metabolic, structural, and physiological regulators for cellular and biological functions. They are often classified as critical quality attributes to antibodies and recombinant fusion proteins, given their impacts on the efficacy and safety of biologics drugs. Recent reports on the conjugates of N-acetyl-galactosamine and mannose-6-phosphate for lysosomal degradation, Fab glycans for antibody diversification, as well as sialylation therapeutic modulations and O-linked applications, have been fueling the continued interest in glycoengineering. The current advancements of the human glycome and the development of a comprehensive network in glycosylation pathways have presented new opportunities in designing next-generation therapeutic proteins.

Genetic rearrangement during site specific integration event facilitates cell line development of a bispecific molecule.

Site specific integration (SSI) expression systems offer robust means of generating highly productive and stable cell lines for traditional monoclonal antibodies. As complex modalities such as antibody-like molecules comprised of greater than two peptides become more prevalent, greater emphasis needs to be placed on the ability to produce appreciable quantities of the correct product of interest (POI). The ability to screen several transcript stoichiometries could play a large role in ensuring high amounts of the correct POI. Here we illustrate implementation of an SSI expression system with a single site of integration for development and production of a multi-chain, bi-specific molecule. A SSI vector with a single copy of all of the genes of interest was initially selected for stable Chinese hamster ovary transfection. While the resulting transfection pools generated low levels of the desired heterodimer, utilizing an intensive clone screen strategy, we were able to identify clones having significantly higher levels of POI. In-depth genotypic characterization of clones having the desirable phenotype revealed that a duplication of the light chain within the landing pad was responsible for producing the intended molecule. Retrospective transfection pool analysis using a vector configuration mimicking the transgene configuration found in the clones, as well as other vector configurations, yielded more favorable results with respect to % POI. Overall, the study demonstrated that despite the theoretical static nature of the SSI expression system, enough heterogeneity existed to yield clones having significantly different transgene phenotypes/genotypes and support production of a complex multi-chain molecule.

Structure-function relationships of the soluble form of the antiaging protein Klotho have therapeutic implications for managing kidney disease.

The fortuitously discovered antiaging membrane protein αKlotho (Klotho) is highly expressed in the kidney, and deletion of the Klotho gene in mice causes a phenotype strikingly similar to that of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Klotho functions as a co-receptor for fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) signaling, whereas its shed extracellular domain, soluble Klotho (sKlotho), carrying glycosidase activity, is a humoral factor that regulates renal health. Low sKlotho in CKD is associated with disease progression, and sKlotho supplementation has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy for managing CKD. Here, we explored the structure-function relationship and post-translational modifications of sKlotho variants to guide the future design of sKlotho-based therapeutics. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)- and human embryonic kidney (HEK)-derived WT sKlotho proteins had varied activities in FGF23 co-receptor and ß-glucuronidase assays in vitro and distinct properties in vivo Sialidase treatment of heavily sialylated CHO-sKlotho increased its co-receptor activity 3-fold, yet it remained less active than hyposialylated HEK-sKlotho. MS and glycopeptide-mapping analyses revealed that HEK-sKlotho is uniquely modified with an unusual N-glycan structure consisting of N,N'-di-N-acetyllactose diamine at multiple N-linked sites, one of which at Asn-126 was adjacent to a putative GalNAc transfer motif. Site-directed mutagenesis and structural modeling analyses directly implicated N-glycans in Klotho's protein folding and function. Moreover, the introduction of two catalytic glutamate residues conserved across glycosidases into sKlotho enhanced its glucuronidase activity but decreased its FGF23 co-receptor activity, suggesting that these two functions might be structurally divergent. These findings open up opportunities for rational engineering of pharmacologically enhanced sKlotho therapeutics for managing kidney disease.

Small-molecule control of antibody N-glycosylation in engineered mammalian cells.

N-linked glycosylation in monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is crucial for structural and functional properties of mAb therapeutics, including stability, pharmacokinetics, safety and clinical efficacy. The biopharmaceutical industry currently lacks tools to precisely control N-glycosylation levels during mAb production. In this study, we engineered Chinese hamster ovary cells with synthetic genetic circuits to tune N-glycosylation of a stably expressed IgG. We knocked out two key glycosyltransferase genes, α-1,6-fucosyltransferase (FUT8) and ß-1,4-galactosyltransferase (ß4GALT1), genomically integrated circuits expressing synthetic glycosyltransferase genes under constitutive or inducible promoters and generated antibodies with concurrently desired fucosylation (0-97%) and galactosylation (0-87%) levels. Simultaneous and independent control of FUT8 and ß4GALT1 expression was achieved using orthogonal small molecule inducers. Effector function studies confirmed that glycosylation profile changes affected antibody binding to a cell surface receptor. Precise and rational modification of N-glycosylation will allow new recombinant protein therapeutics with tailored in vitro and in vivo effects for various biotechnological and biomedical applications.

Dissecting N-Glycosylation Dynamics in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells Fed-batch Cultures using Time Course Omics Analyses.

N-linked glycosylation affects the potency, safety, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetic clearance of several therapeutic proteins including monoclonal antibodies. A robust control strategy is needed to dial in appropriate glycosylation profile during the course of cell culture processes accurately. However, N-glycosylation dynamics remains insufficiently understood owing to the lack of integrative analyses of factors that influence the dynamics, including sugar nucleotide donors, glycosyltransferases, and glycosidases. Here, an integrative approach involving multi-dimensional omics analyses was employed to dissect the temporal dynamics of glycoforms produced during fed-batch cultures of CHO cells. Several pathways including glycolysis, tricarboxylic citric acid cycle, and nucleotide biosynthesis exhibited temporal dynamics over the cell culture period. The steps involving galactose and sialic acid addition were determined as temporal bottlenecks. Our results show that galactose, and not manganese, is able to mitigate the temporal bottleneck, despite both being known effectors of galactosylation. Furthermore, sialylation is limited by the galactosylated precursors and autoregulation of cytidine monophosphate-sialic acid biosynthesis.

Transient CHO expression platform for robust antibody production and its enhanced N-glycan sialylation on therapeutic glycoproteins.

Large-scale transient expression in mammalian cells is a rapid protein production technology often used to shorten overall timelines for biotherapeutics drug discovery. In this study we demonstrate transient expression in a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) host (ExpiCHO-S™) cell line capable of achieving high recombinant antibody expression titers, comparable to levels obtained using human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. For some antibodies, ExpiCHO-S™ cells generated protein materials with better titers and improved protein quality characteristics (i.e., less aggregation) than those from HEK293. Green fluorescent protein imaging data indicated that ExpiCHO-S™ displayed a delayed but prolonged transient protein expression process compared to HEK293. When therapeutic glycoproteins containing non-Fc N-linked glycans were expressed in transient ExpiCHO-S™, the glycan pattern was unexpectedly found to have few sialylated N-glycans, in contrast to glycans produced within a stable CHO expression system. To improve N-glycan sialylation in transient ExpiCHO-S™, we co-transfected galactosyltransferase and sialyltransferase genes along with the target genes, as well as supplemented the culture medium with glycan precursors. The authors have demonstrated that co-transfection of glycosyltransferases combined with medium addition of galactose and uridine led to increased sialylation content of N-glycans during transient ExpiCHO-S™ expression. These results have provided a scientific basis for developing a future transient CHO system with N-glycan compositions that are similar to those profiles obtained from stable CHO protein production systems. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 35: e2724, 2019.

Analytical subcloning of a clonal cell line demonstrates cellular heterogeneity that does not impact process consistency or robustness.

During development of a cell line intended to support production of an IgG2 monoclonal antibody, a sequence variant caused by a genetic mutation was identified in the bulk drug substance. Gene copy number analysis together with the level of the observed variant in genomic DNA indicated that the master cell bank was a mixed population of cells; some harboring the variant copy and some mutation free. Since the cell bank had been single-cell cloned, this variant could be used as a biomarker to demonstrate either that the bank was not derived from a single cell, or that the variant was a result of a post-cloning genetic event, leading to a mixed population of cells. The sequence variant was only present in a small percentage of subclones, confirming the hypothesis that the cell bank was indeed a mixed population. Interrogation of subclones via Southern blot analysis revealed that almost all subclones had very similar transgene integrant structures, suggesting that the cell bank was likely derived from a single cell, and the cellular event that yielded the sequence variant was a post-cloning event. Further, there were likely several other post-cloning events that impacted transgene loci, leading to a population of related, yet genetically distinct cells comprising the cell bank. Despite this, the heterogeneous bank performed consistently in a bioprocess across generational age with comparable product quality. These results experimentally demonstrate the heterogeneity of a cell bank derived from a single cell, and its relationship to process consistency. © 2018 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:602-612, 2018.

Reactivity-driven cleanup of 2-Aminobenzamide derivatized oligosaccharides.

N-glycan profiling is commonly accomplished by the derivatization of the enzymatically released oligosaccharides with a fluorophore, thereby facilitating their analysis by hydrophilic-interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). These fluorescent dyes are often present in large excess during derivatization reactions, and their removal is typically required to minimize chromatographic interference. Herein, we report a reactivity-driven 2-phase extraction protocol with the aldehyde reagent octanal, which demonstrated efficient 2-aminobenzamide cleanup as well as high derivatized N-glycan recovery. This cleanup method can be performed within minutes, and therefore provides an alternative sample preparation route for N-glycan profiling with improved time efficiency and operational simplicity.

Strategic deployment of CHO expression platforms to deliver Pfizer's Monoclonal Antibody Portfolio.

Development of stable cell lines for expression of large-molecule therapeutics represents a significant portion of the time and effort required to advance a molecule to enabling regulatory toxicology studies and clinical evaluation. Our development strategy employs two different approaches for cell line development based on the needs of a particular project: a random integration approach for projects where high-level expression is critical, and a site-specific integration approach for projects in which speed and reduced employee time spend is a necessity. Here we describe both our random integration and site-specific integration platforms and their applications in support of monoclonal antibody development and production. We also compare product quality attributes of monoclonal antibodies produced with a nonclonal cell pool or clonal cell lines derived from the two platforms. Our data suggests that material source (pools vs. clones) does not significantly alter the examined product quality attributes. Our current practice is to leverage this observation with our site-specific integration platform, where material generated from cell pools is used for an early molecular assessment of a given candidate to make informed decisions around development strategy. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1463-1467, 2017.

Complementation of essential yeast GPI mannosyltransferase mutations suggests a novel specificity for certain Trypanosoma and Plasmodium PigB proteins.

The glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor is an essential glycolipid that tethers certain eukaryotic proteins to the cell surface. The core structure of the GPI anchor is remarkably well conserved across evolution and consists of NH2-CH2-CH2-PO4-6Manα1,2Manα1,6Manα1,4-GlcNα1,6-myo-inositol-PO4-lipid. The glycan portion of this structure may be modified with various side-branching sugars or other compounds that are heterogeneous and differ from organism to organism. One such modification is an α(1,2)-linked fourth mannose (Man-IV) that is side-branched to the third mannose (Man-III) of the trimannosyl core. In fungi and mammals, addition of Man-III and Man-IV occurs by two distinct Family 22 α(1,2)-mannosyltransferases, Gpi10/PigB and Smp3/PigZ, respectively. However, in the five protozoan parasite genomes we examined, no genes encoding Smp3/PigZ proteins were observed, despite reports of tetramannosyl-GPI structures (Man4-GPIs) being produced by some parasites. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the Gpi10/PigB proteins produced by protozoan parasites have the ability to add both Man-III and Man-IV to GPI precursors. We used yeast genetics to test the in vivo specificity of Gpi10/PigB proteins from several Plasmodium and Trypanosoma species by examining their ability to restore viability to Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains harboring lethal defects in Man-III (gpi10Δ) or Man-IV (smp3Δ) addition to GPI precursor lipids. We demonstrate that genes encoding PigB enzymes from T. cruzi, T. congolense and P. falciparum are each capable of separately complementing essential gpi10Δ and smp3Δ mutations, while PIGB genes from T. vivax and T. brucei only complement gpi10Δ. Additionally, we show the ability of T. cruzi PIGB to robustly complement a gpi10Δ/smp3Δ double mutant. Our data suggest that certain Plasmodium and Trypanosoma PigB mannosyltransferases can transfer more than one mannose to GPI precursors in vivo, and suggest a novel biosynthetic mechanism by which Man4-GPIs may be synthesized in these organisms.

Uptake of radiolabeled GlcNAc into Saccharomyces cerevisiae via native hexose transporters and its in vivo incorporation into GPI precursors in cells expressing heterologous GlcNAc kinase.

Yeast glycan biosynthetic pathways are commonly studied through metabolic incorporation of an exogenous radiolabeled compound into a target glycan. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis, [(3) H]inositol has been widely used to identify intermediates that accumulate in conditional GPI synthesis mutants. However, this approach also labels non-GPI lipid species that overwhelm detection of early GPI intermediates during chromatography. In this study, we show that despite lacking the ability to metabolize N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), S. cerevisiae is capable of importing low levels of extracellular GlcNAc via almost all members of the hexose transporter family. Furthermore, expression of a heterologous GlcNAc kinase gene permits efficient incorporation of exogenous [(14) C]GlcNAc into nascent GPI structures in vivo, dramatically lowering the background signal from non-GPI lipids. Utilizing this new method with several conditional GPI biosynthesis mutants, we observed and characterized novel accumulating lipids that were not previously visible using [(3) H]inositol labeling. Chemical and enzymatic treatments of these lipids indicated that each is a GPI intermediate likely having one to three mannoses and lacking ethanolamine phosphate (Etn-P) side-branches. Our data support a model of yeast GPI synthesis that bifurcates after the addition of the first mannose and that includes a novel branch that produces GPI species lacking Etn-P side-branches.

The Dbp5 cycle at the nuclear pore complex during mRNA export I: dbp5 mutants with defects in RNA binding and ATP hydrolysis define key steps for Nup159 and Gle1.

Nuclear export of messenger RNA (mRNA) occurs by translocation of mRNA/protein complexes (mRNPs) through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). The DEAD-box protein Dbp5 mediates export by triggering removal of mRNP proteins in a spatially controlled manner. This requires Dbp5 interaction with Nup159 in NPC cytoplasmic filaments and activation of Dbp5's ATPase activity by Gle1 bound to inositol hexakisphosphate (IP(6)). However, the precise sequence of events within this mechanism has not been fully defined. Here we analyze dbp5 mutants that alter ATP binding, ATP hydrolysis, or RNA binding. We found that ATP binding and hydrolysis are required for efficient Dbp5 association with NPCs. Interestingly, mutants defective for RNA binding are dominant-negative (DN) for mRNA export in yeast and human cells. We show that the DN phenotype stems from competition with wild-type Dbp5 for Gle1 at NPCs. The Dbp5-Gle1 interaction is limiting for export and, importantly, can be independent of Nup159. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments in yeast show a very dynamic association between Dbp5 and NPCs, averaging <1 sec, similar to reported NPC translocation rates for mRNPs. This work reveals critical steps in the Gle1-IP(6)/Dbp5/Nup159 cycle, and suggests that the number of remodeling events mediated by a single Dbp5 is limited.

Integral membrane proteins Brr6 and Apq12 link assembly of the nuclear pore complex to lipid homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking Apq12, a nuclear envelope (NE)-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) integral membrane protein, are defective in assembly of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), possibly because of defects in regulating membrane fluidity. We identified BRR6, which encodes an essential integral membrane protein of the NE-ER, as a dosage suppressor of apq12 Delta. Cells carrying the temperature-sensitive brr6-1 allele have been shown to have defects in nucleoporin localization, mRNA metabolism and nuclear transport. Electron microscopy revealed that brr6-1 cells have gross NE abnormalities and proliferation of the ER. brr6-1 cells were hypersensitive to compounds that affect membrane biophysical properties and to inhibitors of lipid biosynthetic pathways, and displayed strong genetic interactions with genes encoding non-essential lipid biosynthetic enzymes. Strikingly, brr6-1 cells accumulated, in or near the NE, elevated levels of the two classes of neutral lipids, steryl esters and triacylglycerols, and over-accumulated sterols when they were provided exogenously. Although neutral lipid synthesis is dispensable in wild-type cells, viability of brr6-1 cells was fully dependent on neutral lipid production. These data indicate that Brr6 has an essential function in regulating lipid homeostasis in the NE-ER, thereby impacting NPC formation and nucleocytoplasmic transport.

Synthetic genetic array analysis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae provides evidence for an interaction between RAT8/DBP5 and genes encoding P-body components.

Coordination of the multiple steps of mRNA biogenesis helps to ensure proper regulation of gene expression. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae DEAD-box protein Rat8p/Dbp5p is an essential mRNA export factor that functions at the nuclear pore complex (NPC) where it is thought to remodel mRNA/protein complexes during mRNA export. Rat8p also functions in translation termination and has been implicated in functioning during early transcription. We conducted a synthetic genetic array analysis (SGA) using a strain harboring the temperature-sensitive rat8-2 allele. Although RAT8 had been shown to interact genetically with >15 other genes, we identified >40 additional genes whose disruption in a rat8-2 background causes synthetic lethality or dramatically reduced growth. Included were five that encode components of P-bodies, sites of cytoplasmic mRNA turnover and storage. Wild-type Rat8p localizes to NPCs and diffusely throughout the cell but rat8-2p localized to cytoplasmic granules at nonpermissive temperature that are distinct from P-bodies. In some genetic backgrounds, these granules also contain poly(A)-binding protein, Pab1p, and additional mRNA export factors. Although these foci are distinct from P-bodies, the two merge under heat-stress conditions. We suggest that these granules reflect defective mRNP remodeling during mRNA export and during cytoplasmic mRNA metabolism.

The yeast integral membrane protein Apq12 potentially links membrane dynamics to assembly of nuclear pore complexes.

Although the structure and function of components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) have been the focus of many studies, relatively little is known about NPC biogenesis. In this study, we report that Apq12 is required for efficient NPC biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Apq12 is an integral membrane protein of the nuclear envelope (NE) and endoplasmic reticulum. Cells lacking Apq12 are cold sensitive for growth, and a subset of their nucleoporins (Nups), those that are primarily components of the cytoplasmic fibrils of the NPC, mislocalize to the cytoplasm. APQ12 deletion also causes defects in NE morphology. In the absence of Apq12, most NPCs appear to be associated with the inner but not the outer nuclear membrane. Low levels of benzyl alcohol, which increases membrane fluidity, prevented Nup mislocalization and restored the proper localization of Nups that had accumulated in cytoplasmic foci upon a shift to lower temperature. Thus, Apq12p connects nuclear pore biogenesis to the dynamics of the NE.

The DEAD-box RNA helicase Dbp5 functions in translation termination.

In eukaryotes, termination of messenger RNA (mRNA) translation is mediated by the release factors eRF1 and eRF3. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism, we have identified a member of the DEAD-box protein (DBP) family, the DEAD-box RNA helicase and mRNA export factor Dbp5, as a player in translation termination. Dbp5 interacts genetically with both release factors and the polyadenlyate-binding protein Pab1. A physical interaction was specifically detected with eRF1. Moreover, we show that the helicase activity of Dbp5 is required for efficient stop-codon recognition, and intact Dbp5 is essential for recruitment of eRF3 into termination complexes. Therefore, Dbp5 controls the eRF3-eRF1 interaction and thus eRF3-mediated downstream events.