Determining the effects of pseudouridine incorporation on human tRNAs

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are ubiquitous non-coding RNA molecules required to translate mRNA-encoded sequence information into nascent polypeptide chains. Their relatively small size and heterogenous patterns of their RNA modifications have impeded the systematic structural characterization of individual tRNAs. Here, we use single-particle cryo-EM to determine the structures of four human tRNAs before and after incorporation of pseudouridines (Ψ). Following post-transcriptional modifications by distinct combinations of human pseudouridine synthases, we find that tRNAs become stabilized and undergo specific local structural changes. We establish interactions between the D- and T-arms as the key linchpin in the tertiary structure of tRNAs. Our structures of human tRNAs highlight the vast potential of cryo-EM combined with biophysical measurements and computational simulations for structure-function analyses of tRNAs and other small, folded RNA domains.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
The EMBO Journal
Published
2025-04-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44318-025-00443-y
Citations
8
Primary Topic
RNA modifications and cancer
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
6.45

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Determining the effects of pseudouridine incorporation on human tRNAs

Janusz M. Bujnicki, Dominika Dobosz, Jakub Nowak, J Jezowski et al.
8 citations
The EMBO Journal
RNA modifications and cancer
6.45
article

Determining the effects of pseudouridine incorporation on human tRNAs

Janusz M. Bujnicki, Dominika Dobosz, Jakub Nowak, J Jezowski, Sebastian Glatt, Ting‐Yu Lin, S. Maiti, S Naeim Moafinejad, Paulina Indyka, Sunandan Mukherjee, Michał Rawski, Frank Wien, Véronique Arluison, Anna Biela, Artur Biela, Priyanka Dahate, Andrzej Chramiec‐Głąbik, Rahul Mehta
article en
8 citations

Abstract

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are ubiquitous non-coding RNA molecules required to translate mRNA-encoded sequence information into nascent polypeptide chains. Their relatively small size and heterogenous patterns of their RNA modifications have impeded the systematic structural characterization of individual tRNAs. Here, we use single-particle cryo-EM to determine the structures of four human tRNAs before and after incorporation of pseudouridines (Ψ). Following post-transcriptional modifications by distinct combinations of human pseudouridine synthases, we find that tRNAs become stabilized and undergo specific local structural changes. We establish interactions between the D- and T-arms as the key linchpin in the tertiary structure of tRNAs. Our structures of human tRNAs highlight the vast potential of cryo-EM combined with biophysical measurements and computational simulations for structure-function analyses of tRNAs and other small, folded RNA domains.

The EMBO JournalVol. 44(13)
Jagiellonian University (PL), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Vienna (AT), Durham University (GB), Université Paris Cité (FR), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR), Synchrotron soleil (FR), Sorbonne Paris Cité (FR), Laboratoire Léon Brillouin (FR), International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (PL), CEA Paris-Saclay (FR)
Narodowe Centrum Nauki, Infrastruktura PL-Grid, European Research Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
RNA modifications and cancer
6.45
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.