Wobble tRNA modification and hydrophilic amino acid patterns dictate protein fate.

Abstract

Regulation of mRNA translation elongation impacts nascent protein synthesis and integrity and plays a critical role in disease establishment. Here, we investigate features linking regulation of codon-dependent translation elongation to protein expression and homeostasis. Using knockdown models of enzymes that catalyze the mcm⁵s² wobble uridine tRNA modification (U₃₄-enzymes), we show that gene codon content is necessary but not sufficient to predict protein fate. While translation defects upon perturbation of U₃₄-enzymes are strictly dependent on codon content, the consequences on protein output are determined by other features. Specific hydrophilic motifs cause protein aggregation and degradation upon codon-dependent translation elongation defects. Accordingly, the combination of codon content and the presence of hydrophilic motifs define the proteome whose maintenance relies on U₃₄-tRNA modification. Together, these results uncover the mechanism linking wobble tRNA modification to mRNA translation and aggregation to maintain proteome homeostasis.