RNase P in Archaea Looking to a warm place for P James W. Brown NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Department of Microbiology North Carolina State University The Brown lab RNase P-eople.... Chris Elizabeth Jim NCSU Microbiology Brown lab ... and many others RNase P is the pre-tRNA 5´endonuclease RNase P assay - + NCSU Microbiology Brown lab RNase P is present in (almost) all cells, and in mitochondria and plastids Why study RNase P? • RNase P is apparently a leftover of the ‘RNA World’, and so can teach us about the emergence of life and the origin of Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryotes • RNase P is a ribozyme (RNA enzyme), and so can teach us about RNA structure and function • RNase P is highly conserved in Bacteria, and very different in eukaryotes, and like the ribosome is a large essential RNP, and so has great potential as a target for novel antimicrobials • RNases I, II, III, A, B, E, G, H, P1, P2, PH, S, T1, T2, U1, U2, V1, and Z were already taken NCSU Microbiology Brown lab RNase P in Bacteria 1 large RNA rnpB - 377nt (140kDa) 1 small protein rnpA - 119aa (14kDa) NCSU Microbiology Brown lab The RNA by itself is catalytically proficient in vitro RNase P in Bacteria product mature tRNA ~76nt/24kDa (green) 1 large RNA rnpB 377nt/140kDa (blue & purple) 1 small protein rnpA 119aa/14kDa (red) NCSU Microbiology Brown lab The RNA by itself is catalytically proficient in vitro RNase P in Eukarya1898(yeast nucleus) One large RNA Rpr1 - 120kDa This RNA is only generally similar to the bacterial RNA Nine assorted proteins Pop1p - 100kD Pop3p - 23kD Pop4p - 33kD Pop5p - 20kD Pop6p - 18kD Pop7p - 16kD Pop8p - 15kD Rpp1p - 32kD Rpr2p - 16kD None of these are at all similar to the bacterial protein NCSU Microbiology Brown lab The RNA is absolutely dependent on the proteins for activity How can we begin to understand the very different bacterial and eukaryotic RNase P enzymes? RNase P in Bacteria RNase P in Eukarya (yeast nucleus) 1898 One large RNA Rpr1 - 120kDa 1 large RNA rnpB - 377nt This RNA is only generally similar to the bacterial RNA Nine proteins Pop1p - 100kD Pop3p - 23kD Pop4p - 33kD Pop5p - 20kD Pop6p - 18kD Pop7p - 16kD Pop8p - 15kD Rpp1p - 32kD Rpr2p - 16kD None of these are at all similar to the bacterial protein 1 small protein rnpA - 119aa (14kDa) The RNA by itself is catalytically proficient in vitro The RNA is absolutely dependent on the proteins for activity NCSU Microbiology Brown lab The three evolutionary Domains cyanobacteria Gram-positive proteobacteria spirochaetes planctomycetes Thermotoga Aquifex Crenarchaea Euryarchaea diplomonads flagellates amoebas animals fungi plants Bacteria Archaea Eukarya NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Archaea are an ideal “missing link” for understanding the evolutionary differences between Bacteria and eukaryotes The Archaea Haloferax Euryarchaea Extreme halophiles Methanosarcina Thermoplasma Methanothermobacter Archaeoglobus Methanocaldococcus Pyrococcus Crenarchaea Thermoproteus Pyrodictium Acidianus Methanogens Sulfur-metabolizing thermophiles Sulfolobus NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Phylogenetic tree of the Archaea based on ssu-rRNA sequence analysis NCSU Microbiology Brown lab NCSU Microbiology Brown lab NCSU Microbiology Brown lab RNase P in Archaea : Early Information Haloferax volcanii Sulfolobus acidocaldarius 1.61 g/cm3 in Cs2SO4 1.27 g/cm3 in Cs2SO4 rapid pelleting in glycerol large exclusion radius (400kDa) nuclease sensitive nuclease resistant copurifying 435nt RNA copurifying 315nt RNA (but also reported to be inactivated) (suggests protein alone) (degraded by nuclease treatment) only vaguely similar to bacterial P RNAs (not degraded by nuclease treatment) only vaguely similar to bacterial P RNAs RNA not catalytically active RNA not catalytically active Early reports of catalytic activity by the RNA alone and reconstitution with bacterial protein could not be reproduced and were discounted The RNase P RNAs of Methansarcina barkeri and Methanocaldococcus jannaschii are also not catalytically active, leading to the conclusion that archaeal RNase P RNAs, like those of eukaryotes, absolutely depend on protein for function. NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Our first task, then was to identify the differences in bacteria and archaeal RNase P RNAs that might be responsible for this difference in activity. Archaeal RNase P RNA 2° structures CA U C G G G U C G C A C C A CC G A G C GG G G C Sequence : M61003, Neuwlandt, et al, 1991 J. Biol. Chem. 266:5689 A G A C C C A Structure : Harris, et al., RNA (in press) G G G GG A C C C G CC UG G G U CG G C G A Image created 10/5/00 by JWBrown C CG C U CG G CA G C U G GC A C G A C C G GC C A UG AU C G A C G C A A G G G C C G C A GA G U UC G UG C A C G A C G CC GA A G G AC C U G A C GA C G C A A U U GG A G A G A A C G U C C C G G A G G A CU A G A G C G C G CU G G A G AC C A GG G A U GGG C C G GG U AA U CU C G A GA C UC G A G G CC U A G G UG C A A G U C CG CG C C G C G U UG C C G C C G CCAC C A G G CG CG G G G C G C AA G A C G G G CC G G A U C A A C C G C C A G A CC G U C C G U C G G C C C G C C G U A C G G C G A G C G C G G C G A G C C U U A G C U G G C G C G C G G C G A A C G A A CG G G C A UG U G G CU U A G C C CG UG C U C C U G G C A U C G 5´ C G A GG C G AG AG AG C G A CG A A C 3´ A U U C G C CG A C U C U C U C G C A A UU CGGG GG A Ribonuclease P RNA Haloferax volcanii DS-2 Ribonuclease P RNA Sulfolobus acidocaldarius(solfataricus) P1 Sequence : L13597, LaGrandeur, et al, 1993 J. Bact 175:5043 Structure : Harris, eet al., RNA (in press) Image created 10/5/00 by JWBrown A UG A AA A U G A G U UU A UA UG A AA A A U UA U U A A C UA GU U G CAGA CA CU GU AU CG U A A UC G AG U A C G A GG C A C AU U C A G C G A A G C A U C G A A C G G G C AA C A CU U A GU G C G A CU G U CU G UU C GG C GA UC C G AU C CA G G AG GG AG C A A G U A AGG AGGG G G U C A U UG GU G C A A CCUC CA UCCUCCC A A U G G A CU A A G A C G C G C CG U U G A A G GA U U C A U C U C U A C G A A U A A G G G A A A U C C UG A U U A A G G G C UU A G C G C G C G C G C 5´ UA A U AGGGG AG CCUA A C A A U A C 3´ U C C C C U CG G A U UG A UAU NCSU Microbiology U A U A A U UGGG U CG A Determined to base-pair resolution by comparative sequence analysis U A G G UA Brown lab Archaeal vs bacterial RNase P RNAs Ribonuclease P RNA Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum ΔH Sequence : U42986, Pannucci 1999 PNAS 96:7803 Structure : Harris, et al., RNA (in press) Image created 10/5/00 by JWBrown G U A G UG AU A A U G A A G CU U C A CC A C C G A GG UG A U A CA CC U G A C G U AC C A GUC A U AC A G U GA A C AG A G P12 G A G CC A A G C U G G A A G G A G A G C C C U CU G A P9 C A GG P10/11 A C U GA U U GU G CG C AC C A P7 CG P15 A A A U G P16 G G U P17 P5 U GG AUG C A A GG AC C U G C C GA U A G GU GC U AC P8 C U C G G C U U G G A U G G AG U CU AC A C G A G UG A AG A G C U G A A C G CAU A C C GUG A C C C C A U C G A A A U A G G P6 G A P3 A A A A GGGGCUG U U C C C C U G G C G C G P4 U A G C A U P2 C G P1 G C 5´ A G C C G A A G G C G A A A C A CGGCU UC G 3´ A C A A A UUGGGUGG UU C G G G C G C C C C G G G C C C G G G U U AG AG C G A C U A G Ribonuclease P RNA G G G Ralstonia (Alcaligenes) eutrophus DSM 531 A G U A G Sequence : M59353, Brown, et al., 1991 J. Bacteriol. 173:3855 A C Structure : Harris, et al., RNA (in press) A A C A C G CGC Image created 10/3/00 by JWBrown G G U A G A U G C A C A A CG UG C A A G U C G C GGCAC AA UA C CA A G G AU CC U U G CAGG C G GG AG C A A UCCC G A U U GG A C U AG G CCUC CG U C UG A AGGG C G C GG A G A G G G A A G C C U U G A G C C G C G C G C C G A C U G U A A G GG C A G C CG G C UG G C U U G C G G C C G A C AA C A AU A G A A G G G G CA G C A A A G C A G G A G G UG C A G G G G A G U C CCAC U C U G U C CG U C G G G C G U G G C G G C A U C AC G A U G C C G 5´ G U CG G G C A A AG CAGG CC A G C A G 3´ C A NCSU Microbiology CA U U C G U U U CG U C CG G U G CA A U U CGG C C U A The type A structure is common to most Archaea and Bacteria Brown lab Some archaeal RNase P RNAs are active! NR Eco Mse Sac Pfu Tce Mja Mth Mma Mva Mfo ERH MtM ERE MtD Mba Hvo Ngr pre-tRNA mature tRNA 5´leader NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Assays contain 4M NH4OAc, 300mM MgCl2, a 200:1 ratio of enzyme to substrate, incubated for 3.5 hr at 45°C. In vivo or in vitro RNA. Chimeric holoenzymes are active Functional reconstitution is reflected in the enhancement of activity in the presence of protein in assays performed at low ionic strength no P RNA rotein Bsu P p E.coli P RNA BSA rotein Bsu P p H.volcanii P RNA BSA rotein Bsu P p M.formicicum P RNA BSA rotein Bsu P p M.thermo. P RNA BSA rotein Bsu P p pre-tRNA mature tRNA 5´leader NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Archaeal RNase P RNAs can bind the Bacillus subtilis RNase P protein, and the chimeric holoenzymes are functional! Archaea ought to have a bacterial-like protein LOCUS B.aphidocola 114 bp DEFINITION B.aphidocola 114 b, 114 bases, 58069AB0 checksum. ORIGIN 1 MLNYFFKKKS KLLKSTNFQY VFSNPCNKNT FHINILGRSN LLGHPRLGLS 51 ISRKNIKHAY RRNKIKRLIR ETFRLLQHRL ISMDFVVIAK KNIVYLNNKK 101 IVNILEYIWS NYQR // LOCUS B.burgdorferi 119 bp DEFINITION B.burgdorferi , 119 bases, E73BF549 checksum. ORIGIN 1 MRKRNISLKS KIEIQKIFKE GKLIRFSNLN LKMFYKSNHL VYSRILVTFS 51 KGFRGSVKRN RIRRLFKEAF RKRLELLEGI ALDIIFVVSY GKLTLTYFSI 101 ESLMKGLVLR CERGIGESK // LOCUS B.halodurans 118 bp DEFINITION B.halodurans , 118 bases, FC638DB3 checksum. ORIGIN 1 MKKEHRIKRS DEFSRVFNEG FSVANRQFVI YVLPKEGQDF FRVLSVSKKI 51 GNAVTRNRVK RLIRTFFQEH EQAISGERDY VIIARKPAAD MTYEQVKGSL 101 WHVCKKAKII QPKVRAHK // LOCUS B.subtilis 119 bp DEFINITION B.subtilis 119 bp, 119 bases, 724961C checksum. ORIGIN 1 MSHLKKRNRL KKNEDFQKVF KHGTSVANRQ FVLYTLDQPE NDELRVGLSV 51 SKKIGNAVMR NRIKRLIRQA FLEEKERLKE KDYIIIARKP ASQLTYEETK 101 KSLQHLFRKS SLYKKSSSK // RBS P> P >P > dnaA rpmH RBS yidD rnpA TT NCSU Microbiology Brown lab ...but, they don’t! RNase P in Eukarya1898(yeast nucleus) One large RNA Rpr1 - 120kDa This RNA is only generally similar to the bacterial RNA Nine assorted proteins Pop1p - 100kD Pop3p - 23kD Pop4p - 33kD Pop5p - 20kD Pop6p - 18kD Pop7p - 16kD Pop8p - 15kD Rpp1p - 32kD Rpr2p - 16kD None of these are at all similar to the bacterial protein NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Proteins identified in Dave Engelke’s lab RNase P in Eukarya1898(yeast nucleus) One large RNA Rpr1 - 120kDa This RNA is only generally similar to the bacterial RNA Nine assorted proteins Pop1p - 100kD Pop3p - 23kD Pop4p - 33kD Pop5p - 20kD ~Mth687p Pop6p - 18kD Pop7p - 16kD Pop8p - 15kD Rpp1p - 32kD Rpr2p - 16kD None of these are at all similar to the bacterial protein NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Archaea encode a protein with vague similarity to yeast nuclear P protein Pop5p! RNase P in Eukarya1898(yeast nucleus) One large RNA Rpr1 - 120kDa This RNA is only generally similar to the bacterial RNA Nine assorted proteins Pop1p - 100kD Pop3p - 23kD Pop4p - 33kD ~Mth11p Pop5p - 20kD ~Mth687p Pop6p - 18kD Pop7p - 16kD Pop8p - 15kD Rpp1p - 32kD ~Mth688p Rpr2p - 16kD ~Mth1618p None of these are at all similar to the bacterial protein NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Archaea encode proteins with vague similarity to 4 yeast nuclear P proteins! All 4 proteins copurify with P activity Westerns using antisera specific to each protein reveal that all 4 proteins copurify exactly with RNase P activity in fractions from glycerol gradients of partially-purified RNase P. NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Antisera against these 4 proteins immunoprecipitate RNase P activity Immunoaffinity-purified antibodies (I) or preimmune serum (P) were mixed with protein-A beads and incubated with RNase P. Unbound material was washed out before elution with 2 washes of buffer at 72°C. RNase P activity was assayed in each sample, and in the remaining matrix. (B) were untreated protein-A beads. NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Activity can be reconstituted from the archaeal RNA and these 4 proteins Kouzuma, et al., (Makoto Kimura lab) 2003 BBRC 306:666-673 Mth687p Mth1618p Mth11p Mth688p NCSU Microbiology Brown lab This is the Pyroccoccus horikoshi system, but it also works in Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus. Interactions among archaeal P proteins Yeast 2-hybrid analysis Mth11p (Pop4p) Mth1618p (Rpr2p) Mth688p (Rpp1p) Mth687p (Pop5p) NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Strong reciprocal support for Mth11/Mth1618 and Mth688/687 interactions, and weak support for interaction of Mth11 with Mth687, Mth688, and itself. Archaeal vs yeast P subunit interactions RNA Pop1 RNA Pop3 ? 11 1618 688 687 Methanothermobacter Pop7 Pop4 Rpr2 Pop6 Rpp1 Pop5 Pop8 Saccharomyces NCSU Microbiology Brown lab The interactions between homologous components are conserved Conserved RNA:protein interactions? Ribonuclease P RNA Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum ΔH Sequence : U42986, Pannucci 1999 PNAS 96:7803 Structure : Harris, et al., RNA (in press) Image created 10/5/00 by JWBrown G U A G UG AU A A U G A A G CU U C A CC A C C G A GG UG C A U CC UA A G A AC G AC U C C GUC A U A A A G U A GG C A G A P12 G A G CC A A G C U G G A A G A GG G A C C C U CU G A P9 C A GG P10/11 A C U GA U U GU G CG C AC C A P7 CG P15 A A A U G P16 G G U P17 P5 U GG AUG C A A GG AC CUGCC GA U A G GU A GC U P8 C U C C G G CUUG G A U G G AG U CU AC A G C G A G A AG A G C U U G A A C G CAU A C C GUG A C C C C A U C G A A A U A G G P6 G A P3 A A A A GGGGCUG U C C C C U G G C GUC G P4 U A G C A U P2 C G P1 G C 5´ A G C C G A A G G C G A A A C A CGGCU UC G 3´ A C A A A UUGGGUGG 11 ! Pop8p ? Pop5p 1618 688 Pop4p Rpp1p Rpr2p Pop6p Pop7p Pop3p Pop1p " $ # " " " # # $ !"% ! ! $ $ # " #$ " ! # # !! " ! ! $ $! "! #$ $ !$ " " # " " !"#$"" # # ! ! ! $ !& ! ! ! $ # " $ $ $ ! " " ! # $ ! ! ## " " # ! $ $ ! "" # !# $ $ $ " ! # ! " # # " # !($) !"( # " ! # # $ $ ! # # # ! " $ # # ! # $ ! $ $ $ ! $ "$ " $! " !! # !' " ! $ # ! " " $ # ! $ ! " ! # ! $ !! ! " ! $ # $" "! # #$ ! "! ! " $ # !! $ ! #$ ! $ # ! " # " # $$ $ ! $ $ # $ $ # ! # ! ! ! #! ! # $ " # "# # " ! # $ #" # " ! " ! #! ! " # $ # ! # " # $ " # # ! ! ! " #$ !+!+, " " ! " ! ! ! $ ! ! !# #" # $ $ ! ! " # # # # " $$ ! $ # !# $$ " " $$$ $#" ! # "$ ! " ! # # " # !* " # " ! "! " # # " ## " $ "" " " $ ! $ !% $ ! #! # # " ! !! # !" $ !" ! " $ !"& #!!" " $ " ! #!! # " ! " " $$ # #! #$!# $! # " ! $ $ $ #" $ " $ # # " ! $ $ " #" ! 687 NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Who knows? The archaeal proteins are not similar in structure to the bacterial P protein Mth11p/Pop4p (Archaeoglobus fulgidus) an oligonucleotide-binding β-barrel Mth688p/Rpp1p (Pyrococcus horikoshii) a TIM metallohydrolase α/β-barrel bacterial rnpA (Thermotoga maritima) an EF-G α/β sandwich Mth1618p/Rpr2p (Pyrococcus horikoshi) α-helix/Zn-ribbon Mth687p/Pop5p (Pyrococcus furiosus) an RNR α/β-sandwich This argues against any underlying homology between the bacterial and any of the archaeal proteins NCSU Microbiology Brown lab RNase P in Archaea - a Review A bacterial-like RNA... rnpB - 96kDa (293nt) A catalytically-active “type A” RNA in most cases, only distantly related to the eukaryotic RNA Ribonuclease P RNA Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum ΔH Sequence : U42986, Pannucci 1999 PNAS 96:7803 Structure : Harris, et al., RNA (in press) Image created 10/5/00 by JWBrown G U A G UG AU A A U G A A G CU U C A CC A C C G A GG UG C A U CC UA A G A AC G AC U C C GUC A U A A A G U A GG C A G A P12 G A G CC A A G C U G G A A G A GG G A C C C U CU G A P9 C A GG P10/11 A C U GA U U GU G CG C AC C A P7 CG P15 A A A U G P16 G G U P17 P5 U GG AUG C A A GG AC CUGCC GA U A G GU A GC U P8 C U C C G G CUUG G A U G G AG U CU AC A G C G A G A AG A G C U U G A A C G CAU A C C GUG A C C C C A U C G A A A U A G G P6 G A P3 A A A A GGGGCUG U C C C C U G G C GUC G P4 U A G C A U P2 C G P1 G C 5´ A G C C G A A G G C G A A A C A CGGCU UC G 3´ A C A A A UUGGGUGG 11 1618 but 4 eukaryotic-like proteins. 688 687 RNase P in Archaea is an evolutionary chimera MTH687p - 15kDa = Pop5p MTH688p - 28kDa = Rpp1p MTH11p - 11kDa = Pop4p (C-terminal half) MTH1618p - 17kDa = Rpr2p Not at all like the single bacterial protein NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Possible evolutionary scenarios : RNA Bacteria A ? RNA World LCA Archaea A E Eukarya NCSU Microbiology Brown lab This scenario is uncontroversial Possible evolutionary scenarios : Protein Bacteria rnpA ? RNA World LCA Archaea Pop Eukarya NCSU Microbiology Brown lab In this scenario, the LCA is closer to the RNA World, with an RNA-only RNase P, and the 2 emerging branches recruited proteins independently RNase P in Archaea: Loose Ends • Are there any additional non-essential protein subunits? • How do the proteins interact with the RNA? • Do the proteins have roles in addition to RNA stabilization? • Does RNase P in Archaea reside in a nucleolus? • How do type M and type T RNAs function in the absence of essential elements of RNA structure? NCSU Microbiology Brown lab Why is RNase P an RNA enzyme?