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Multi-color single molecule imaging uncovers extensive heterogeneity in mRNA decoding.

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Cell. 2019 Jul 11;178(2):458-72. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.05.001
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Multi-color single molecule imaging uncovers extensive heterogeneity in mRNA decoding. Lavis Lab
Boersma S, Khuperkar D, Verhagen BM, Sonneveld S, Grimm JB, Lavis LD, Tanenbaum ME
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Abstract

mRNA translation is a key step in decoding genetic information. Genetic decoding is surprisingly heterogeneous, as multiple distinct polypeptides can be synthesized from a single mRNA sequence. To study translational heterogeneity, we developed the MoonTag, a new fluorescence labeling system to visualize translation of single mRNAs. When combined with the orthogonal SunTag system, the MoonTag enables dual readouts of translation, greatly expanding the possibilities to interrogate complex translational heterogeneity. By placing MoonTag and SunTag sequences in different translation reading frames, each driven by distinct translation start sites, start site selection of individual ribosomes can be visualized in real-time. We find that start site selection is largely stochastic, but that the probability of using a particular start site differs among mRNA molecules, and can be dynamically regulated over time. Together, this study provides key insights into translation start site selection heterogeneity, and provides a powerful toolbox to visualize complex translation dynamics.

PMID: 31178119 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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bioRxiv PrePrint https://dx.doi.org/10.1101/477661

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Janelia Authors

Jonathan Grimm
Luke Lavis
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