Research article2023Peer reviewedOpen access
An mTRAN-mRNA interaction mediates mitochondrial translation initiation in plants
Tran, Huy Cuong; Schmitt, Vivian; Lama, Sbatie; Wang, Chuande; Launay-Avon, Alexandra; Bernfur, Katja; Sultan, Kristin; Khan, Kasim; Brunaud, Veronique; Liehrmann, Arnaud; Castandet, Benoit; Levander, Fredrik; Rasmusson, Allan G.; Mireau, Hakim; Delannoy, Etienne; Van Aken, Olivier
Abstract
Plant mitochondria represent the largest group of respiring organelles on the planet. Plant mitochondrial messenger RNAs (mRNAs) lack Shine-Dalgarno-like ribosome-binding sites, so it is unknown how plant mitoribosomes recognize mRNA. We show that “mitochondrial translation factors” mTRAN1 and mTRAN2 are land plant–specific proteins, required for normal mitochondrial respiration chain biogenesis. Our studies suggest that mTRANs are noncanonical pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR)–like RNA binding proteins of the mitoribosomal “small” subunit. We identified conserved Adenosine (A)/Uridine (U)-rich motifs in the 5′ regions of plant mitochondrial mRNAs. mTRAN1 binds this motif, suggesting that it is a mitoribosome homing factor to identify mRNAs. We demonstrate that mTRANs are likely required for translation of all plant mitochondrial mRNAs. Plant mitochondrial translation initiation thus appears to use a protein-mRNA interaction that is divergent from bacteria or mammalian mitochondria.
Published in
Science
2023, Volume: 381, number: 6661, article number: eadg0995
Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE
UKÄ Subject classification
Genetics
Botany
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adg0995
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/127281