Exploring the secrets of RNA metabolism in extremophilic micro-organisms
This text is a translation of the text published in French on the CNRS website.
Archaea, established as a third domain of life alongside bacteria and eukaryotes at the end of the last century, are a very poorly understood group of micro-organisms present in numerous ecological niches. Some of them are even capable of thriving in very hot environments, with very high salinity, etc., which may resemble primordial terrestrial or extraterrestrial environments. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that archaea and eukaryotes share a common evolutionary history, making them our close relatives. Consequently, understanding the fundamental biology and cellular adaptation of these organisms could not only unravel their ecological role and foster the development of potential biotechnological applications, but also provide information on the evolutionary origin of eukaryotic cells. Using a single-molecule sequencing technology that allows long DNA/RNA molecules to be read (Oxford Nanopore), the scientists deciphered the maturation of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in three different model archaea.
The ribosome is a complex macromolecular machine composed of RNA and proteins that enables proteins to be produced from RNA sequences in the genome. As such, the ribosome is a key element in gene expression and cellular life. By exploring the ribosomal RNA maturation pathway of three archaea with different extreme lifestyles, the scientists were able to obtain information on the common and organism-specific steps in rRNA maturation. In addition, the scientists were also able to better understand the steps involved in the addition of rRNA modifications known to refine the function of the translation machinery.
This work provides evidence that ribosomal RNA maturation can be studied more efficiently by using and obtaining multidimensional information such as maturation and rRNA modification events in organisms that are notoriously difficult to grow under normal laboratory conditions. Because of its simplicity, the technology and methodological procedure developed could be used to explore the biodiversity of RNA maturation in all domains of life and reveal the common traits and cellular adaptation of RNA maturation.