Wobble tRNA modification and hydrophilic amino acid patterns dictate protein fate

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 mcm(5)s(2) wobble uridine tRNA modification (U-34-enzymes), we show that gene codon content is necessary but not sufficient to predict protein fate. While translation defects upon perturbation of U-34-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 U-34-tRNA modification. Together, these results uncover the mechanism linking wobble tRNA modification to mRNA translation and aggregation to maintain proteome homeostasis. Wobble uridine (U-34) tRNA modifications are important for the decoding of AA-ending codons. Here the authors show that while the U-34-codon content of mRNAs are predictive of changes in ribosome translation elongation, the resulting outcome in protein expression also relies on specific hydrophilic motifs-dependent protein aggregation and clearance.

Automated summary

Wobble uridine (U-34) tRNA modifications are important for decoding AA-ending codons. The U-34-codon content of mRNAs can predict changes in ribosome translation elongation, while the resulting outcome in protein expression relies on specific hydrophilic motifs-dependent protein aggregation and clearance.