Hemm Luisa, Lichtenberg Elisabeth, Tholen Stefan, Reimann Viktoria, Kakazu Kenta, Machida Sotaro, Mahbub Moontaha, Schilling Oliver, Wilde Annegret, Watanabe Satoru, Mullineaux Conrad W, Hess Wolfgang R
Division of Genetics and Experimental Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.
Division of Molecular Genetics of Prokaryotes, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Jul;122(26):e2506275122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2506275122. Epub 2025 Jun 24.
RNA recognition motif (RRM) domain proteins are crucial RNA-binding proteins across all domains of life. In cyanobacteria, single RRM domain proteins are involved in mRNA targeting to the thylakoid membrane and acclimation to certain stress conditions, but many details of their physiological functions and molecular targets have remained unknown. The model cyanobacterium sp. PCC 6803 has a family of three genes encoding the RRM domain-containing proteins Rbp1, Rbp2, and Rbp3. Here, we verified the RNA-binding activity of Rbp3 in vivo and show that cells of a Δ deletion strain had a lower photosystem (PS) I:PSII ratio and decreased pigment content and were significantly smaller than wild-type cells. To identify the set of interacting molecules, coimmunoprecipitation experiments were performed with a strain expressing a C-terminally FLAG-tagged Rbp3. Mass spectrometry of the elution fraction suggested physical proximity between Rbp3, ribosomes, and a very small number of other proteins. The most highly enriched transcript in the coeluting RNA fraction was the mRNA. This was corroborated by fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses showing decreased mRNA signals in Δ, and colocalization with Rbp3 fusions to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the wild type. Other mRNAs coenriched with Rbp3 encode thylakoid, plasma membrane, and carboxysome proteins. Binding assays using Bio-layer Interferometry validated the Rbp3- mRNA interaction, indicating a preference for folded RNA segments near or overlapping the respective stop codons.
RNA识别基序(RRM)结构域蛋白是生命所有领域中至关重要的RNA结合蛋白。在蓝细菌中,单个RRM结构域蛋白参与mRNA靶向类囊体膜以及对某些应激条件的适应,但它们生理功能和分子靶点的许多细节仍不清楚。模式蓝细菌集胞藻属PCC 6803有一个由三个基因组成的家族,编码含RRM结构域的蛋白Rbp1、Rbp2和Rbp3。在这里,我们在体内验证了Rbp3的RNA结合活性,并表明Δ缺失菌株的细胞具有较低的光系统(PS)I:PSII比率、色素含量降低,且明显小于野生型细胞。为了鉴定相互作用分子的集合,我们对表达C端带有FLAG标签的Rbp3的菌株进行了免疫共沉淀实验。洗脱组分的质谱分析表明Rbp3、核糖体和极少数其他蛋白之间存在物理上的接近关系。共洗脱RNA组分中最高度富集的转录本是mRNA。荧光原位杂交分析证实了这一点,该分析显示在Δ中mRNA信号减少,并且在野生型中与Rbp3与绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的融合蛋白共定位。与Rbp3共同富集的其他mRNA编码类囊体、质膜和羧基体蛋白。使用生物层干涉术的结合实验验证了Rbp3与mRNA的相互作用,表明其偏好于靠近各自终止密码子或与其重叠的折叠RNA片段。