Regulated Ire1-dependent mRNA decay requires no-go mRNA degradation to maintain endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis in <i>S. pombe</i>.

Guydosh, Nicholas R; Kimmig, Philipp; Walter, Peter; Green, Rachel · Elife · 2017

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The unfolded protein response (UPR) monitors and adjusts the protein folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In <i>S. pombe</i>, the ER membrane-resident kinase/endoribonuclease Ire1 utilizes a mechanism of selective degradation of ER-bound mRNAs (RIDD) to maintain homeostasis. We used a genetic screen to identify factors critical to the Ire1-mediated UPR and found several proteins, Dom34, Hbs1 and Ski complex subunits, previously implicated in ribosome rescue and mRNA no-go-decay (NGD). Ribosome profiling in ER-stressed cells lacking these factors revealed that Ire1-mediated cleavage of ER-associated mRNAs results in ribosome stalling and mRNA degradation. Stalled ribosomes iteratively served as a ruler to template precise, regularly spaced upstream mRNA cleavage events. This clear signature uncovered hundreds of novel target mRNAs. Our results reveal that the UPR in <i>S. pombe</i> executes RIDD in an intricate interplay between Ire1, translation, and the NGD pathway, and establish a critical role for NGD in maintaining ER homeostasis.

Medical subject headings