IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-62220-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Queuosine is incorporated into precursor tRNA before splicing

Author

Listed:
  • Wei Guo

    (Heidelberg University
    DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance
    Heidelberg University)

  • Igor Kaczmarczyk

    (Jagiellonian University
    Jagiellonian University)

  • Kevin Kopietz

    (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz)

  • Florian Flegler

    (Philipps-Universität Marburg)

  • Stefano Russo

    (Heidelberg University
    DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance
    Heidelberg University)

  • Ege Cigirgan

    (Heidelberg University)

  • Andrzej Chramiec-Głąbik

    (Jagiellonian University)

  • Łukasz Koziej

    (Jagiellonian University)

  • Cansu Cirzi

    (German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ))

  • Jirka Peschek

    (Heidelberg University)

  • Klaus Reuter

    (Philipps-Universität Marburg)

  • Mark Helm

    (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz)

  • Sebastian Glatt

    (Jagiellonian University
    University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna)

  • Francesca Tuorto

    (DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance
    Heidelberg University)

Abstract

Each newly transcribed tRNA molecule must undergo processing and receive modifications to become functional. Queuosine (Q) is a tRNA modification present at position 34 of four tRNAs with “GUN” anticodons. Among these, the precursor of tRNATyr carries an intronic sequence within the anticodon loop that is removed by an essential non-canonical splicing event. The functional and temporal coupling between tRNA-splicing and Q-incorporation remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate in vitro and in vivo that intron-containing precursors of tRNATyr are modified with Q or with the Q-derivative galactosyl-queuosine (galQ) before being spliced. We show that this order of events is conserved in mouse, human, flies and worms. Using single particle cryo-EM, we confirm that pre-tRNATyr is a bona fide substrate of the QTRT1/2 complex, which catalyzes the incorporation of Q into the tRNA. Our results elucidate the hierarchical interplay that coordinates Q-incorporation and splicing in eukaryotic tRNAs, providing a relevant but unappreciated aspect of the cellular tRNA maturation process.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Guo & Igor Kaczmarczyk & Kevin Kopietz & Florian Flegler & Stefano Russo & Ege Cigirgan & Andrzej Chramiec-Głąbik & Łukasz Koziej & Cansu Cirzi & Jirka Peschek & Klaus Reuter & Mark Helm & Sebasti, 2025. "Queuosine is incorporated into precursor tRNA before splicing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62220-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62220-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62220-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-62220-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62220-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.