Divergent rRNAs as regulators of gene expression at the ribosome level

It is generally assumed that each organism has evolved to possess a unique ribosomal RNA (rRNA) species optimal for its physiological needs. However, some organisms express divergent rRNAs, the functional roles of which remain unknown. Here, we show that ribosomes containing the most variable rRNAs,...

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Published inNature microbiology Vol. 4; no. 3; pp. 515 - 526
Main Authors Song, Wooseok, Joo, Minju, Yeom, Ji-Hyun, Shin, Eunkyoung, Lee, Minho, Choi, Hyung-Kyoon, Hwang, Jihwan, Kim, Yong-In, Seo, Ramin, Lee, J. Eugene, Moore, Christopher J., Kim, Yong-Hak, Eyun, Seong-il, Hahn, Yoonsoo, Bae, Jeehyeon, Lee, Kangseok
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.03.2019
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects
45/91
631/326/41/1969
631/337/574/1789
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Bacteria
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Divergence
Environmental changes
Gene expression
Genetic analysis
Genomes
Infectious Diseases
Life Sciences
Medical Microbiology
Microbiology
Parasitology
Ribosomal subunits
Ribosomes
rRNA
Translation
Virology
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Summary:It is generally assumed that each organism has evolved to possess a unique ribosomal RNA (rRNA) species optimal for its physiological needs. However, some organisms express divergent rRNAs, the functional roles of which remain unknown. Here, we show that ribosomes containing the most variable rRNAs, encoded by the rrnI operon (herein designated as I-ribosomes), direct the preferential translation of a subset of mRNAs in Vibrio vulnificus , enabling the rapid adaptation of bacteria to temperature and nutrient shifts. In addition, genetic and functional analyses of I-ribosomes and target mRNAs suggest that both I-ribosomal subunits are required for the preferential translation of specific mRNAs, the Shine–Dalgarno sequences of which do not play a critical role in I-ribosome binding. This study identifies genome-encoded divergent rRNAs as regulators of gene expression at the ribosome level, providing an additional level of regulation of gene expression in bacteria in response to environmental changes. In V ibrio vulnificus , ribosomes containing variable rRNAs encoded by the rrnI operon (I-ribosomes) preferentially translate a subset of mRNAs involved in bacterial adaptation of environmental changes, establishing divergent rRNAs as regulators of gene expression.
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ISSN:2058-5276
2058-5276
DOI:10.1038/s41564-018-0341-1