Primary Citation of Related Structures: 9FI8, 9FIA, 9G6K
PubMed Abstract:
The phylum Apicomplexa comprises eukaryotic parasites that cause fatal diseases affecting millions of people and animals worldwide. Their mitochondrial genomes have been significantly reduced, leaving only three protein-coding genes and highly fragmented mitoribosomal rRNAs, raising challenging questions about mitoribosome composition, assembly and structure. Our study reveals how Toxoplasma gondii assembles over 40 mt-rRNA fragments using exclusively nuclear-encoded mitoribosomal proteins and three lineage-specific families of RNA-binding proteins. Among these are four proteins from the Apetala2/Ethylene Response Factor (AP2/ERF) family, originally known as transcription factors in plants and Apicomplexa, now repurposed as essential mitoribosome components. Cryo-EM analysis of the mitoribosome structure demonstrates how these AP2 proteins function as RNA binders to maintain mitoribosome integrity. The mitoribosome is also decorated with members of lineage-specific RNA-binding proteins belonging to RAP (RNA-binding domain abundant in Apicomplexa) proteins and HPR (heptatricopeptide repeat) families, highlighting the unique adaptations of these parasites. Solving the molecular puzzle of apicomplexan mitoribosome could inform the development of therapeutic strategies targeting organellar translation.
Organizational Affiliation:
National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
INSERM U1212 Acides nucléiques: Régulations Naturelle et Artificielle (ARNA), Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Université de Bordeaux, Pessac, 33607, France.
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510260, China.
Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Research, School of Public Health; Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China (Ministry of Education), Southern Medical University, 1023-1063 South Shatai Rd, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, 510515, China.
Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. suoxun@cau.edu.cn.
INSERM U1212 Acides nucléiques: Régulations Naturelle et Artificielle (ARNA), Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Université de Bordeaux, Pessac, 33607, France. yaser.hashem@u-bordeaux.fr.
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Dominique.Soldati-Favre@unige.ch.
Beijing Institute of Tropical Medicine, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China. jarregon@126.com.
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