{"title":"Codon-specific ribosome stalling reshapes translational dynamics during branched-chain amino acid starvation","authors":"Lina Worpenberg, Cédric Gobet, Felix Naef","doi":"10.1186/s13059-025-03800-6","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Cells regulate protein synthesis in response to fluctuating nutrient availability through mechanisms that affect both translation initiation and elongation. Branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential nutrients. However, how their depletion affects translation remains largely unclear. Here, we investigate the immediate effects of single, double, and triple branched-chain amino acid deprivation on translational dynamics in NIH3T3 cells using RNA-seq and ribosome profiling. All starvation conditions increased ribosome dwell times, with pronounced stalling at all valine codons during valine and triple starvation, whereas leucine and isoleucine starvation produced milder, codon-specific effects. Notably, stalling under isoleucine deprivation largely decreased under triple starvation. Positional enrichment of valine codons near the 5′ end and downstream isoleucine codons potentially contributes to these patterns, suggesting a possible elongation bottleneck that influences translational responses under branched-chain amino acid starvation. The presence of multiple valine stalling sites was associated with decreased protein levels. Finally, codon-specific dwell time changes correlated strongly with patterns of tRNA isoacceptor charging. Together, these findings suggest that differential ribosome stalling under branched-chain amino acid starvation reflects a balance between amino acid supply, tRNA charging dynamics, codon position, and stress-response signaling.","PeriodicalId":12611,"journal":{"name":"Genome Biology","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":10.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Genome Biology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-025-03800-6","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOTECHNOLOGY & APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Cells regulate protein synthesis in response to fluctuating nutrient availability through mechanisms that affect both translation initiation and elongation. Branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential nutrients. However, how their depletion affects translation remains largely unclear. Here, we investigate the immediate effects of single, double, and triple branched-chain amino acid deprivation on translational dynamics in NIH3T3 cells using RNA-seq and ribosome profiling. All starvation conditions increased ribosome dwell times, with pronounced stalling at all valine codons during valine and triple starvation, whereas leucine and isoleucine starvation produced milder, codon-specific effects. Notably, stalling under isoleucine deprivation largely decreased under triple starvation. Positional enrichment of valine codons near the 5′ end and downstream isoleucine codons potentially contributes to these patterns, suggesting a possible elongation bottleneck that influences translational responses under branched-chain amino acid starvation. The presence of multiple valine stalling sites was associated with decreased protein levels. Finally, codon-specific dwell time changes correlated strongly with patterns of tRNA isoacceptor charging. Together, these findings suggest that differential ribosome stalling under branched-chain amino acid starvation reflects a balance between amino acid supply, tRNA charging dynamics, codon position, and stress-response signaling.
Genome BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Genetics
CiteScore
21.00
自引率
3.30%
发文量
241
审稿时长
2 months
期刊介绍:
Genome Biology stands as a premier platform for exceptional research across all domains of biology and biomedicine, explored through a genomic and post-genomic lens.
With an impressive impact factor of 12.3 (2022),* the journal secures its position as the 3rd-ranked research journal in the Genetics and Heredity category and the 2nd-ranked research journal in the Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology category by Thomson Reuters. Notably, Genome Biology holds the distinction of being the highest-ranked open-access journal in this category.
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