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B6db references: 25002468

type Journal Article
authors Liu Y, Nakamura A, Nakazawa Y, Asano N, Ford KA, Hohn MJ, Tanaka I, Yao M, Söll D.
title Ancient translation factor is essential for tRNA-dependent cysteine biosynthesis in methanogenic archaea.
journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.
Activity 2.5.1.73
Family 2.5.1.73
sel unselected
ui 25002468
year (2014)
volume 111
number 29
pages 10520-5
 
keywords Aminoacyl-tRNA; methanogen; protein complex
abstract Methanogenic archaea lack cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase; they synthesize Cys-tRNA and cysteine in a tRNA-dependent manner. Two enzymes are required: Phosphoseryl-tRNA synthetase (SepRS) forms phosphoseryl-tRNA(Cys) (Sep-tRNA(Cys)), which is converted to Cys-tRNA(Cys) by Sep-tRNA:Cys-tRNA synthase (SepCysS). This represents the ancestral pathway of Cys biosynthesis and coding in archaea. Here we report a translation factor, SepCysE, essential for methanococcal Cys biosynthesis; its deletion in Methanococcus maripaludis causes Cys auxotrophy. SepCysE acts as a scaffold for SepRS and SepCysS to form a stable high-affinity complex for tRNA(Cys) causing a 14-fold increase in the initial rate of Cys-tRNA(Cys) formation. Based on our crystal structure (2.8-Å resolution) of a SepCysS⋅SepCysE complex, a SepRS⋅SepCysE⋅SepCysS structure model suggests that this ternary complex enables substrate channeling of Sep-tRNA(Cys). A phylogenetic analysis suggests coevolution of SepCysE with SepRS and SepCysS in the last universal common ancestral state. Our findings suggest that the tRNA-dependent Cys biosynthesis proceeds in a multienzyme complex without release of the intermediate and this mechanism may have facilitated the addition of Cys to the genetic code.

last changed 2018/03/27 10:13

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