Variations in transfer and ribosomal RNA epitranscriptomic status can adapt eukaryote translation to changing physiological and environmental conditions

Abstract

The timely reprogramming of gene expression in response to internal and external cues is essential to eukaryote development and acclimation to changing environments. Chemically modifying molecular receptors and transducers of these signals is one way to efficiently induce proper physiological responses. Post-translation modifications, regulating protein biological activities, are central to many well-known signal-responding pathways. Recently, messenger RNA (mRNA) chemical (i.e. epitranscriptomic) modifications were also shown to play a key role in these processes. In contrast, transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) chemical modifications, although critical for optimal function of the translation apparatus, and much more diverse and quantitatively important compared to mRNA modifications, were until recently considered as mainly static chemical decorations. We present here recent observations that are challenging this view and supporting the hypothesis that tRNA and rRNA modifications dynamically respond to various cell and environmental conditions and contribute to adapt translation to these conditions.