Genome-wide RNAi screen identifies novel players in human 60S subunit biogenesis including key enzymes of polyamine metabolism


Date

2022-03-21

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

Citations

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Data

Abstract

Ribosome assembly is an essential process that is linked to human congenital diseases and tumorigenesis. While great progress has been made in deciphering mechanisms governing ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, an inventory of factors that support ribosome synthesis in human cells is still missing, in particular regarding the maturation of the large 60S subunit. Here, we performed a genome-wide RNAi screen using an imaging-based, single cell assay to unravel the cellular machinery promoting 60S subunit assembly in human cells. Our screen identified a group of 310 high confidence factors. These highlight the conservation of the process across eukaryotes and reveal the intricate connectivity of 60S subunit maturation with other key cellular processes, including splicing, translation, protein degradation, chromatin organization and transcription. Intriguingly, we also identified a cluster of hits comprising metabolic enzymes of the polyamine synthesis pathway. We demonstrate that polyamines, which have long been used as buffer additives to support ribosome assembly in vitro, are required for 60S maturation in living cells. Perturbation of polyamine metabolism results in early defects in 60S but not 40S subunit maturation. Collectively, our data reveal a novel function for polyamines in living cells and provide a rich source for future studies on ribosome synthesis.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

50 (5)

Pages / Article No.

2872 - 2888

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Event

Edition / version

Methods

Software

Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

Organisational unit

03543 - Kutay, Ulrike / Kutay, Ulrike check_circle
08839 - Zamboni, Nicola (Tit.-Prof.) check_circle
02891 - ScopeM / ScopeM check_circle

Notes

Funding

166565 - Ribosome synthesis in mammalian cells (SNF)

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