The role of intracellular compartmentalization on tRNA processing and modification

• Published in: RNA biology Vol. 15; no. 4-5; pp. 554 - 566
• Main Authors: Kessler, Alan C., Silveira d'Almeida, Gabriel, Alfonzo, Juan D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 04.05.2018
• Subjects: Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; Cell Compartmentation - genetics; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Cytosol - metabolism; Humans; Intracellular Membranes - metabolism; Maturation; Mitochondria - metabolism; modification; nuclear export; Nucleic Acid Conformation; retrograde transport; Review - Solicited; RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; RNA, Transfer - chemistry; RNA, Transfer - genetics; RNA, Transfer - metabolism; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - metabolism; tRNA splicing; Trypanosoma brucei brucei - genetics; Trypanosoma brucei brucei - metabolism; tRNA splicing; retrograde transport; Maturation; nuclear export; modification
• ISSN: 1547-6286; 1555-8584
• DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1371402

A signature of most eukaryotic cells is the presence of intricate membrane systems. Intracellular organization presumably evolved to provide order, and add layers for regulation of intracellular processes; compartmentalization also forcibly led to the appearance of sophisticated transport systems. With nucleus-encoded tRNAs, it led to the uncoupling of tRNA synthesis from many of the maturation steps it undergoes. It is now clear that tRNAs are actively transported across intracellular membranes and at any point, in any compartment, they can be post-transcriptionally modified; modification enzymes themselves may localize to any of the genome-containing compartments. In the following pages, we describe a number of well-known examples of how intracellular compartmentalization of tRNA processing and modification activities impact the function and fate of tRNAs. We raise the possibility that rates of intracellular transport may influence the level of modification and as such increase the diversity of differentially modified tRNAs in cells.