The efficiency of Escherichia coli selenocysteine insertion is influenced by the immediate downstream nucleotide

Selenocysteine (Sec) incorporation requires the TGA opal codon and a downstream Sec insertion sequence (SECIS), which can be partially randomized and cloned into M13 pIII fusion constructs for phage display. This combinatorial approach provides a convenient non-radioactive assay that couples phage production to opal suppression. Two SECIS libraries were prepared, with the immediate downstream nucleotide either randomized (TGAN) or fixed as thymidine (TGAT). The TGAN library resulted in a majority of clones with a downstream purine and selenium-independent phage production, implicating the endogenous tryptophan-inserting opal suppression pathway. Although the addition of sodium selenite to the growth medium did not affect phage production, it did increase the level of Sec insertion, as shown by the chemical reactivity of the resulting phage. The TGAT phage library yielded clones with strictly selenium-dependent phage production and reactivity consistent with the presence of Sec. These clones were prone to spontaneous mutation upon further propagation, however, resulting in loss of the selenium-dependent phenotype. We conclude that the immediate downstream nucleotide determines whether the endogenous opal suppression pathway competes with co-translational Sec insertion.     

Revised Escherichia coli selenocysteine insertion requirements determined by in vivo screening of combinatorial libraries of SECIS variants

To investigate the stringency of the Escherichia coli selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) requirements, libraries of SECIS variants were screened via a novel method in which suppression of the selenocysteine (Sec) opal codon was coupled to bacteriophage plaque formation. The SECIS variant libraries were designed with a mostly paired lower stem, so that randomization could be focused on the upper stem and loop regions. We identified 19 functional non-native SECIS sequences that violated the expected pairing requirements for the SECIS upper stem. All of the SECIS variants were shown to permit Sec insertion in phage (by chemical modification of the Sec residue) and fused to lacZα (by β-galactosidase assay). The diminished pairing of the upper stem appears to be mitigated by the overall stem stability; a given upper stem variant has significantly higher readthrough in the context of a paired, rather than unpaired, lower stem. These results suggest an unexpected downstream sequence flexibility in prokaryotic selenoprotein expression.     

Membrane insertion of the Escherichia coli MalF protein in cells with impaired secretion machinery

The MalF protein is an integral membrane protein of Escherichia coli containing eight membrane-spanning stretches and a large periplasmic domain of approximately 180 amino acids. We have asked whether this protein is dependent for its membrane insertion on the bacterial secretion machinery specified by the sec genes. Using azide to inhibit the SecA protein and sec mutants to reduce the functioning of the machinery, we have studied the membrane assembly of MalF and beta-galactosidase and alkaline phosphatase fusions to MalF. In no case did we see an effect of reducing sec gene function on the insertion of MalF or fusion proteins. Selection for mutants that would cause internalization of a MalF-beta-galactosidase hybrid protein yielded no mutations in sec genes. Our results suggest that MalF can assemble in the membrane independently of the bacterial secretion machinery.     

An extended Escherichia coli "selenocysteine insertion sequence" (SECIS) as a multifunctional RNA structure

The genetic code, once thought to be rigid, has been found to permit several alternatives in its reading. Interesting alternative relates to the function of the UGA codon. Usually, it acts as a stop codon, but it can also direct the incorporation of the amino acid selenocysteine into a polypeptide. UGA-directed selenocysteine incorporation requires a cis-acting mRNA element called the "selenocysteine insertion sequence" (SECIS) that can form a stem-loop RNA structure. Here we discuss our investigation on the E. coli SECIS. This includes the follows: 1) The nature of the minimal E. coli SECIS. We found that in E. coli only the upper-stem and loop of 17 nucleotides of the SECIS is necessary for selenocysteine incorporation on the condition that it is located in the proper distance from the UGA [34]; 2) The upper stem and loop structure carries a bulged U residue that is required for selenocysteine incorporation [34] because of its interaction with SelB; and 3) We described an extended fdhF SECIS that includes the information for an additional function: The prevention of UGA readthrough under conditions of selenium deficiency [35]. This information is contained in a short mRNA region consisting of a single C residue adjacent to the UGA on its downstream side, and an additional segment consisting of the six nucleotides immediately upstream from it. These two regions act independently and additively and probably through different mechanisms. The single C residue acts as itself; the upstream region acts at the level of the two amino acids, arginine and valine, for which it codes. These two codons at the 5' side of the UGA correspond to the ribosomal E and P sites. Finally, we present a model for the E. coli fdhF SECIS as a multifunctional RNA structure containing three functional elements. Depending on the availability of selenium the SECIS enables one of two alternatives for the translational machinery: Either selenocysteine incorporation into a polypeptide or termination of the polypeptide chain.     

Kinetics of the interaction of translation factor SelB from Escherichia coli with guanosine nucleotides and selenocysteine insertion sequence RNA

The kinetics of the interaction of GTP and GDP with SelB, the specific translation factor for the incorporation of selenocysteine into proteins, have been investigated using the stopped-flow method. Useful signals were obtained using intrinsic (i.e. tryptophan) fluorescence, the fluorescence of methylanthraniloyl derivatives of nucleotides, or fluorescence resonance energy transfer from tryptophan to the methylanthraniloyl group. The affinities of SelB for GTP (K(d) = 0.74 micrometer) and GDP (K(d) = 13.4 micrometer) were considerably lower than those of other translation factors. Of functional significance is the fact that the rate constant for GDP release from its complex with SelB (15 s(-)(1)) is many orders of magnitude larger than for elongation factor Tu, explaining why a GDP/GTP exchange factor is not required for the action of SelB. In contrast, the rate of release of GTP is 2 orders of magnitude slower and not significantly faster than for elongation factor Tu. Using a fluorescently labeled 17-nucleotide RNA minihelix that represents a binding site for the protein and that is part of the fdhF selenocysteine insertion sequence element positioned immediately downstream of the UGA triplet coding for selenocysteine incorporation, the kinetics of the interaction were studied. The high affinity of the interaction (K(d) approximately 1 nm) appeared to be increased even further when selenocysteyl-tRNA(Sec) was bound to SelB, but to be independent of the presence or nature of the guanosine nucleotide at the active site. These results suggest that the affinity of SelB for its RNA binding site is maximized when charged tRNA is bound and decreases to allow dissociation and reading of codons downstream of the selenocysteine codon after selenocysteine peptide bond formation.     

The bulged nucleotide in the Escherichia coli minimal selenocysteine insertion sequence participates in interaction with SelB: a genetic approach

The UGA codon, which usually acts as a stop codon, can also direct the incorporation into a protein of the amino acid selenocysteine. This UGA decoding process requires a cis-acting mRNA element called the selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS), which can form a stem-loop structure. In Escherichia coli, selenocysteine incorporation requires only the 17-nucleotide-long upper stem-loop structure of the fdhF SECIS. This structure carries a bulged nucleotide U at position 17. Here we asked whether the single bulged nucleotide located in the upper stem-loop structure of the E. coli fdhF SECIS is involved in the in vivo interaction with SelB. We used a genetic approach, generating and characterizing selB mutations that suppress mutations of the bulged nucleotide in the SECIS. All the selB suppressor mutations isolated were clustered in a region corresponding to 28 amino acids in the SelB C-terminal subdomain 4b. These selB suppressor mutations were also found to suppress mutations in either the loop or the upper stem of the E. coli SECIS. Thus, the E. coli SECIS upper stem-loop structure can be considered a "single suppressible unit," suggesting that there is some flexibility to the nature of the interaction between this element and SelB.     

A sequence in the Escherichia coli fdhF "selenocysteine insertion Sequence" (SECIS) operates in the absence of selenium

The UGA codon context of the Escherichia coli fdhF mRNA includes an element called the selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) that is responsible for the UGA-directed incorporation of the amino acid selenocysteine into a protein. Here, we describe an extended fdhF SECIS that includes the information for an additional function: the prevention of UGA readthrough under conditions of selenium deficiency. This information is contained in a short mRNA region consisting of a single C residue adjacent to the UGA on its downstream side, and an additional segment consisting of the six nucleotides immediately upstream from it. These two regions act independently and additively, and probably through different mechanisms. The single C residue acts as itself; the upstream region acts at the level of the two amino acids, arginine and valine, for which it codes. These two codons at the 5' side of the UGA correspond to the ribosomal E and P sites. Here, we present a model for the E. coli fdhF SECIS as a multifunctional RNA structure containing three functional elements. Depending on the availability of selenium, the SECIS enables one of two alternatives for the translational machinery: either selenocysteine incorporation into a polypeptide or termination of the polypeptide chain.     

Pyrrolysine and selenocysteine use dissimilar decoding strategies

Selenocysteine (Sec) and pyrrolysine (Pyl) are known as the 21st and 22nd amino acids in protein. Both are encoded by codons that normally function as stop signals. Sec specification by UGA codons requires the presence of a cis-acting selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element. Similarly, it is thought that Pyl is inserted by UAG codons with the help of a putative pyrrolysine insertion sequence (PYLIS) element. Herein, we analyzed the occurrence of Pyl-utilizing organisms, Pyl-associated genes, and Pyl-containing proteins. The Pyl trait is restricted to several microbes, and only one organism has both Pyl and Sec. We found that methanogenic archaea that utilize Pyl have few genes that contain in-frame UAG codons, and many of these are followed with nearby UAA or UGA codons. In addition, unambiguous UAG stop signals could not be identified. This bias was not observed in Sec-utilizing organisms and non-Pyl-utilizing archaea, as well as with other stop codons. These observations as well as analyses of the coding potential of UAG codons, overlapping genes, and release factor sequences suggest that UAG is not a typical stop signal in Pyl-utilizing archaea. On the other hand, searches for conserved Pyl-containing proteins revealed only four protein families, including methylamine methyltransferases and transposases. Only methylamine methyltransferases matched the Pyl trait and had conserved Pyl, suggesting that this amino acid is used primarily by these enzymes. These findings are best explained by a model wherein UAG codons may have ambiguous meaning and Pyl insertion can effectively compete with translation termination for UAG codons obviating the need for a specific PYLIS structure. Thus, Sec and Pyl follow dissimilar decoding and evolutionary strategies.     

Interchangeable parts of the Escherichia coli recombination machinery

In Escherichia coli, at least two groups of proteins, or "recombination machines," can operate independently on broken DNA to produce a 3'-terminated single-stranded DNA filament coated with RecA protein and ready for synapsis with intact homologous DNA. Recent analyses of mutants lacking one or more of the activities required for presynaptic filament formation by one recombination machine demonstrate that parts of the two normally separate machines can interchange to initiate homologous recombination.     

Decoding apparatus for eukaryotic selenocysteine insertion

Decoding UGA as selenocysteine requires a unique tRNA, a specialized elongation factor, and specific secondary structures in the mRNA, termed SECIS elements. Eukaryotic SECIS elements are found in the 3′ untranslated region of selenoprotein mRNAs while those in prokaryotes occur immediately downstream of UGA. Consequently, a single eukaryotic SECIS element can serve multiple UGA codons, whereas prokaryotic SECIS elements only function for the adjacent UGA, suggesting distinct mechanisms for recoding in the two kingdoms. We have identified and characterized the first eukaryotic selenocysteyl-tRNA-specific elongation factor. This factor forms a complex with mammalian SECIS binding protein 2, and these two components function together in selenocysteine incorporation in mammalian cells. Expression of the two functional domains of the bacterial elongation factor–SECIS binding protein as two separate proteins in eukaryotes suggests a mechanism for rapid exchange of charged for uncharged selenocysteyl-tRNA–elongation factor complex, allowing a single SECIS element to serve multiple UGA codons.     

Pilus formation and protein secretion by the same machinery in Escherichia coli

The secreton (type II secretion) and type IV pilus biogenesis branches of the general secretory pathway in Gram-negative bacteria share many features that suggest a common evolutionary origin. Five components of the secreton, the pseudopilins, are similar to subunits of type IV pili. Here, we report that when the 15 genes encoding the pullulanase secreton of Klebsiella oxytoca were expressed on a high copy number plasmid in Escherichia coli, one pseudopilin, PulG, was assembled into pilus-like bundles. Assembly of the 'secreton pilus' required most but not all of the secreton components that are essential for pullulanase secretion, including some with no known homologues in type IV piliation machineries. Two other pseudopilins, pullulanase and two outer membrane-associated secreton components were not associated with pili. Thus, PulG is probably the major component of the pilus. Expression of a type IV pilin gene, the E.coli K-12 gene ppdD, led to secreton-dependent incorporation of PpdD pilin into pili without diminishing pullulanase secretion. This is the first demonstration that pseudopilins can be assembled into pilus-like structures.     

Functional transplantation of the sumoylation machinery into Escherichia coli

Modification by SUMO proteins appears to be very common in eukaryotic cells. Many proteins have been reported to be sumoylated, at least under certain circumstances, in vivo, and new examples get published every month. On the other hand, sumoylation is, in essence, a way to construct branched proteins or protein fusions. Obtention of pure sumoylated proteins from eukaryotic cells is not easy because of the dynamic nature of this modification and the large number of sumoylated proteins in vivo. Production of sumoylated proteins in vitro requires the previous purification of most of the components of the pathway, and has the typical limitations of such systems. In this paper, we describe a method to quantitatively produce sumoylated proteins in vivo in Escherichia coli as a way to obtain large quantities of specifically sumoylated target proteins with a high degree of purity, to generate fusion proteins not limited to N- or C-end additions, and to polymerize proteins by covalent linkage.     

Selenocysteine insertion directed by the 3'-UTR SECIS element in Escherichia coli

Co-translational insertion of selenocysteine (Sec) into proteins in response to UGA codons is directed by selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) elements. In known bacterial selenoprotein genes, SECIS elements are located in the coding regions immediately downstream of UGA codons. Here, we report that a distant SECIS element can also function in Sec insertion in bacteria provided that it is spatially close to the UGA codon. We expressed a mammalian phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase in Escherichia coli from a construct in which a natural E.coli SECIS element was located in the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) and adjacent to a sequence complementary to the region downstream of the Sec UGA codon. Although the major readthrough event at the UGA codon was insertion of tryptophan, Sec was also incorporated and its insertion was dependent on the functional SECIS element in the UTR, base-pairing potential of the SECIS flanking region and the Sec UGA codon. These data provide important implications into evolution of SECIS elements and development of a system for heterologous expression of selenoproteins and show that in addition to the primary sequence arrangement between UGA codons and SECIS elements, their proximity within the tertiary structure can support Sec insertion in bacteria.     

The modelling of the decoding site of the Escherichia coli ribosome

Individual ribosomal proteins S4, S9 and S13 were tested for their ability to interact with tRNA and synthetic polynucleotides. All three proteins bind to immobilized to Sepharose poly(A) and poly(U), while S4 and S13 form stoichiometric (1:1) complexes with tRNA in solution. We show that only the polynucleotide X S13 complexes are able to select their cognate tRNAs. In particular, the affinity of tRNAPhe to the binary poly(U) X S13 complex is about three orders of magnitude higher than that for poly(U) alone.     

The American cranberry mitochondrial genome reveals the presence of selenocysteine (tRNA-Sec and SECIS) insertion machinery in land plants

This is the first de novo assembly and annotation of a complete mitochondrial genome in the Ericales order from the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). Moreover, only four complete Asterid mitochondrial genomes have been made publicly available. The cranberry mitochondrial genome was assembled and reconstructed from whole genome 454 Roche GS-FLX and Illumina shotgun sequences. Compared with other Asterids, the reconstruction of the genome revealed an average size mitochondrion (459,678 nt) with relatively little repetitive sequences and DNA of plastid origin. The complete mitochondrial genome of cranberry was annotated obtaining a total of 34 genes classified based on their putative function, plus three ribosomal RNAs, and 17 transfer RNAs. Maternal organellar cranberry inheritance was inferred by analyzing gene variation in the cranberry mitochondria and plastid genomes. The annotation of cranberry mitochondrial genome revealed the presence of two copies of tRNA-Sec and a selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element which were lost in plants during evolution. This is the first report of a land plant possessing selenocysteine insertion machinery at the sequence level.     

Interaction of the Escherichia coli fdhF mRNA hairpin promoting selenocysteine incorporation with the ribosome.

The codon UGA located 5' adjacent to an mRNA hairpin within fdhF mRNA promotes the incorporation of the amino acid selenocysteine into formate dehydrogenase H of Escherichia coli. The loop region of this mRNA hairpin has been shown to bind to the special elongation factor SELB, which also forms a complex with selenocysteinyl-tRNA(Sec) and GTP. We designed seven different mRNA constructs derived from the fdhF mRNA which contain a translation initiation region including an AUG initiation codon followed by no, one, two, three, four, five or six UUC phenylalanine codon(s) and the UGA selenocysteine codon 5' adjacent to the fdhF mRNA hairpin. By binding these different mRNA constructs to 30S ribosomal subunits in vitro we attempted to mimic intermediate steps of elongation of a structured mRNA approaching the ribosome by one codon at a time. Toeprint analysis of the mRNA-ribosome complexes showed that the presence of the fdhF mRNA hairpin strongly interferes with binding of the fdhF mRNA to 30S ribosomal subunits as soon as the hairpin is placed closer than 16 bases to the ribosomal P-site. Binding is reduced up to 25-fold compared with mRNA constructs where the hairpin is located outside the ribosomal mRNA track. Surprisingly, no toeprint signals were observed in any of our mRNA constructs when tRNA(Sec) was used instead of tRNA(fMet). Lack of binding of selenocysteinyl-tRNA(Sec) to the UGA codon was attributed to steric hindrance by the fdhF mRNA hairpin. By chemical probing of the shortest mRNA construct (AUG-UGA-fdhF hairpin) bound to 30S ribosomal subunits we demonstrate that the hairpin structure is not unfolded in the presence of ribosomes in vitro; also, this mRNA is not translated in vivo when fused in-frame 5' of the lacZ gene. Therefore, our data indicate that the fdhF mRNA hairpin has to be unfolded during elongation prior to entering the ribosomal mRNA track and we propose that the SELB binding domain within the fdhF mRNA is located outside the ribosomal mRNA track during decoding of the UGA selenocysteine codon by the SELB-selenocysteinyl-tRNA(Sec)-GTP complex.