Depurination of sarcin/ricin loop 25S rRNA is signaled through the small ribosomal subunit during translation

In addition to their function in protein synthesis, translating ribosomes serve as sensors that communicate the presence of aberrant messenger RNAs (mRNAs); however, how they recognize damage to their ribosomal RNA (rRNA) remains poorly understood. The conserved sarcin/ricin loop (SRL) of the 25S rRNA is a component of the GTPase center essential for ribosome movement during translation. In this study, we expressed an RNA N-glycosylase called pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) in yeast <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> to specifically damage rRNA by hydrolysis of a purine base from the SRL. 25S rRNA depurination inhibited translation elongation, as shown by reduced incorporation of a methionine analog and binding of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) to ribosomes. PAP expression altered sucrose gradient profiles, increasing free subunits and 80S peaks and reducing polysomes without causing ribosome collisions. We discovered depurinated rRNA associated with 80S monosomes and polysomes, suggesting that cells would detect damage to rRNA during active translation. These ribosomes were ubiquitinated by E3 ligases Mag2 and Hel2, elements of the 18S nonfunctional rRNA decay (NRD) pathway involved in recognizing slow-moving ribosomes. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis revealed ubiquitination of ribosomal protein uS3, characteristic of 18S NRD. Even though the SRL is a component of the large ribosomal subunit, its depurination is signaled by ubiquitin ligases that recognize damage to the small subunit. We suggest that slow translation elongation is the factor that communicates SRL depurination to E3 ubiquitin ligases, which extends our understanding of how rRNA integrity is surveilled in yeast.