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Abstract Cellular quiescence is a state of reversible proliferative arrest that plays essential roles in development, resistance to stress, aging, and longevity of organisms. Here we report that rapid depletion of RNase MRP, a deeply conserved RNA-based enzyme required for rRNA biosynthesis, induces a long-term yet reversible proliferative arrest in human cells. Severely compromised biogenesis of rRNAs along with acute transcriptional reprogramming precede a gradual decline of the critical cellular functions. Unexpectedly, many arresting cells show increased levels of histone mRNAs, which accumulate locally in the cytoplasm, and S-phase DNA amount. The ensuing proliferative arrest is entered from multiple stages of the cell cycle and can last for several weeks with uncompromised cell viability. Strikingly, restoring expression of RNase MRP leads to a complete reversal of the arrested state with resumed cell proliferation at the speed of control cells. We suggest that targeting rRNA biogenesis may provide a general strategy for rapid induction of a reversible proliferative arrest, with implications for understanding and manipulating cellular quiescence.
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Composition and RNA binding specificity of metazoan RNase MRP
Abstract Ribonuclease (RNase) MRP is a conserved RNA-based enzyme best known for its essential role in the maturation of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in eukaryotes. However, the composition and RNA substrate specificity of this multisubunit ribonucleoprotein complex in higher eukaryotes remain a mystery. Here, we identify NEPRO and C18ORF21 (which we renamed RMP64 and RMP24, respectively) as constitutive subunits of metazoan RNase MRP. These proteins are unique to RNase MRP and absent from the closely related RNase P, which processes transfer RNA (tRNA) precursors and tRNA-like substrates. We find that RMP64 and RMP24 are integral subunits of RNase MRP, stabilize its catalytic RNA, and are required for rRNA maturation and cell proliferation. Leveraging these discoveries, we identify a broad suite of in vivo RNA-binding targets of each enzyme, including potential cleavage sites at nucleotide resolution. Our findings identify the first metazoan RNase MRP-specific protein subunits and define the RNA-targeting repertoire of this essential enzyme in mammalian cells.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2054195
- PAR ID:
- 10631220
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Nucleic Acids Research
- Volume:
- 53
- Issue:
- 16
- ISSN:
- 0305-1048
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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