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One of the most striking examples of small RNA regulation of gene expression is the process of RNA editing in the mitochondria of trypanosomes. In these parasites, RNA editing involves extensive uridylate insertions and deletions within most of the mitochondrial messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Over 1200 small guide RNAs (gRNAs) are predicted to be responsible for directing the sequence changes that create start and stop codons, correct frameshifts and for many of the mRNAs generate most of the open reading frame. In addition, alternative editing creates the opportunity for unprecedented protein diversity. In Trypanosoma brucei, the vast majority of gRNAs are transcribed from minicircles, which are approximately one kilobase in size, and encode between three and four gRNAs. The large number (5000-10,000) and their concatenated structure make them difficult to sequence. To identify the complete set of gRNAs necessary for mRNA editing in T. brucei, we used Illumina deep sequencing of purified gRNAs from the procyclic stage. We report a near complete set of gRNAs needed to direct the editing of the mRNAs.

Posttranscriptional editing of trypanosome mitochondrial messenger RNA is directed by small guide RNAs (gRNAs). Using crosslinking techniques, we have previously shown that the gRNA base pairs to the mRNA via a 5' anchor, whereas its 3' U-tail interacts with upstream purine-rich mRNA sequences. The incorporation of crosslinking data into RNA folding programs produced similar structure predictions for all gRNA/mRNA pairs examined. This suggests that gRNA/mRNA pairs can form common secondary structure motifs that may be important for recognition by the editing complex. In this study, the structure of CYb mRNA crosslinked to gCYb-558 was examined using solution-probing techniques. The mRNA/gRNA crosslinked molecules are efficient substrates for gRNA-directed cleavage. In addition, when the cleavage assay is performed in the presence or absence of additional UTP, the activities of both the U-specific exonuclease and terminal uridylyl transferase (tutase) can be detected. These results indicate that a partial editing complex can assemble and function on these substrates suggesting that the crosslink captured the molecules in a biologically relevant interaction. The structure probing data directly show that the U-tail protects several mRNA bases predicted to be involved in the U-tail-mRNA duplex. In combination with our previous studies, these new data provide additional support for the predicted secondary structure of interacting gRNA/mRNA pairs.

Guide RNAs (gRNAs), key components of the RNA editing reaction in Trypanosoma brucei, direct the insertion and deletion of uridylate (U) residues. Analyses of gRNAs reveal three functional elements. The 5'-end of the gRNA contains the anchor, which is responsible for selection and binding to the pre-edited mRNA. The second element (the guiding region) provides the information required for editing. At the 3'-end of the gRNA is a non-encoded U-tail, whose function remains unclear. However, the cleavage-ligation model for editing proposes that the U-tail binds to purine-rich regions upstream of editing sites, thereby strengthening the interaction and holding onto the 5' cleavage product. Our previous studies demonstrated that the U-tail interacts with upstream sequences and may play roles in both stabilization and tethering. These studies also indicated that the U-tail interactions involved mRNA regions that were to be subsequently edited. This raised the question of what happens to the mRNA-U-tail interaction as editing proceeds in the 3'-->5' direction. We examined gCYb-558 and its U-tail interaction with 5'CYbUT and two partially edited 5'CYb substrates. Our results indicate that the 3'-end of the U-tail interacts with the same sequence in all three mRNAs. Predicted secondary structures using crosslinking data suggest that a similar structure is maintained as editing proceeds. These results indicate that the role of the U-tail may also involve maintenance of important secondary structure motifs.

All guide RNAs (gRNAs) identified to date have defined 5' anchor sequences, guiding sequences and a non-encoded 3' uridylate tail. The 5' anchor is required for in vitro editing and is thought to be responsible for selection and binding to the pre-edited mRNA. Little is known, however, about how the gRNAs are used to direct RNA editing. Utilizing the photo-reactive crosslinking agent, azidophenacyl (APA), attached to the 5'- or 3'-terminus of the gRNA, we have begun to map the structural relationships between the different defined regions of the gRNA with the pre-edited mRNA. Analyses of crosslinked conjugates produced with a 5'-terminal APA group confirm that the anchor of the gRNA is correctly positioning the interacting molecules. 3' Crosslinks (X-linker placed at the 3'-end of a U10tail) have also been mapped for three different gRNA/mRNA pairs. In all cases, analyses indicate that the U-tail can interact with a range of nucleotides located upstream of the first edited site. It appears that the U-tail prefers purine-rich sites, close to the first few editing sites. These results suggest that the U-tail may act in concert with the anchor to melt out secondary structure in the mRNA in the immediate editing domain, possibly increasing the accessibility of the editing complex to the proper editing sites.

The organization of the mitochondrial maxicircle genome of Trypanosoma brucei is unique in the close packing of the mRNA genes. For many of them, the 5' and 3' ends of adjacent transcripts overlap and formation of the proper 3' or 5' end can eliminate a portion of the coding sequence of the adjacent gene. Large, polycistronic transcripts have been detected. suggesting that mechanisms for precise cleavages at both 5' and 3' gene boundaries must exist. However, no common sequences near the ends of the mRNAs that could be candidates for control regions have been detected. In addition, nothing is known about how RNA editing interacts with and affects 5' and 3' processing and/or polyadenylation. Edited precursor transcripts have been detected, indicating that editing complexes can assemble prior to transcript cleavage. Because editing often initiates near the 3' end of the mRNA, the assembly of an editing complex in this region may influence the cleavage selection process. In order to determine the extent that RNA editing and 3' end-processing interact, RNAs were analyzed to determine the extent of editing in precursor RNAs and to determine if unedited transcripts can be cleaved and polyadenylated. Two overlapping RNA junctions were analyzed; the junction between NADH dehydrogenase (ND) subunit 7 and cytochrome oxidase (CO) subunit III, and the junction between CO subunit II and maxicircle unidentified reading frame (MURF) II. For both of these RNAs, editing affects restriction endonuclease recognition sequences, allowing us to analyze editing patterns by differential restriction digests. These analyses suggest that when the gRNA is supplied in trans, RNA editing and cleavage/polyadenylation are independent events and while they may influence one another, one event is not dependent on the other. Conversely, for the COII transcript, where the gRNA is located at the 3' end of the mRNA and appears to be supplied in cis, edited precursors were not detected. This suggests a requirement for a precise intramolecular interaction for COII editing that cannot form prior to 3' end-maturation.

Incubation of synthetic pre-edited mRNAs with extracts of Trypanosoma brucei mitochondria results in a family of specific, stable ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes that can be visualized by non-denaturing gel electrophoresis. We compared complexes that form with a substrate corresponding to the ATPase 6 (A6) pre-mRNA 3' region that is edited in both bloodstream and procyclic forms with a substrate corresponding to the 5' end of apocytochrome b (CYb) pre-mRNA that is edited only in procyclic (insect) forms. Four to five complexes are detected with both substrates and are specific since competition with homologous but not heterologous substrates prevents their formation. Formation of the CYb complex, however, is more sensitive to heterologous RNAs. In addition, the A6 substrate is more effective at preventing formation of CYb complexes than the converse. CYb complex formation is also more sensitive to divalent cation and salt concentrations and formation of one A6 component has a temperature optimum of 37 degrees C while that of CYb is 27 degrees C.