Hauser R, Schneider A
Department of Biochemistry, University of Basel, Switzerland.
EMBO J. 1995 Sep 1;14(17):4212-20. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1995.tb00095.x.
The mitochondrial genome of Trypanosoma brucei does not encode any identifiable tRNAs. Instead, mitochondrial tRNAs are synthesized in the nucleus and subsequently imported into mitochondria. In order to analyse the signals which target the tRNAs into the mitochondria, an in vivo import system has been developed: tRNA variants were expressed episomally and their import into mitochondria assessed by purification and nuclease treatment of the mitochondrial fraction. Three tRNA genes were tested in this system: (i) a mutated version of the trypanosomal tRNA(Tyr); (ii) a cytosolic tRNA(His) of yeast; and (iii) a human cytosolic tRNA(Lys). The tRNAs were expressed in their own genomic context, or containing various lengths of the 5'-flanking sequence of the trypanosomal tRNA(Tyr) gene. In all cases efficient import of each of the tRNAs was observed. We independently confirmed the mitochondrial import of the yeast tRNA(His), since in organello [alpha-32P]ATP-labelling of the 3'-end of the tRNA was inhibited by carboxyatractyloside, a highly specific inhibitor of the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocator. Import of heterologous tRNAs in their own genomic contexts supports the conclusion that no specific targeting signals are necessary to import tRNAs into mitochondria of T. brucei, but rather that the tRNA structure itself is sufficient to specify import.
布氏锥虫的线粒体基因组不编码任何可识别的tRNA。相反,线粒体tRNA在细胞核中合成,随后导入线粒体。为了分析将tRNA靶向导入线粒体的信号,已开发出一种体内导入系统:tRNA变体以附加型方式表达,并通过纯化线粒体部分并进行核酸酶处理来评估其导入线粒体的情况。在该系统中测试了三个tRNA基因:(i) 布氏锥虫tRNA(Tyr)的突变版本;(ii) 酵母的胞质tRNA(His);(iii) 人的胞质tRNA(Lys)。这些tRNA在其自身的基因组环境中表达,或包含布氏锥虫tRNA(Tyr)基因不同长度的5'侧翼序列。在所有情况下,均观察到每种tRNA的有效导入。我们独立证实了酵母tRNA(His)的线粒体导入,因为线粒体腺嘌呤核苷酸转运体的高度特异性抑制剂羧基苍术苷抑制了tRNA 3'端在细胞器内的[α-32P]ATP标记。在其自身基因组环境中导入异源tRNA支持这样的结论,即布氏锥虫线粒体导入tRNA不需要特定的靶向信号,而是tRNA结构本身就足以确定导入。