Core Fermentation (CoFe) granules focus coordinated glycolytic mRNA localization and translation to fuel glucose fermentation

MORALES-POLANCO, FABIAN; BATES, CHRISTIAN; LUI, JENNIFER; CASSON, JOSEPH; SOLARI, CLARA A.; PIZZINGA, MARIAVITTORIA; FORTE, GABRIELA; GRIFFIN, CLAIRE; GARNER, KIRSTEN E.L.; BURT, HARRIET E.; DIXON, HANNAH L.; HUBBARD, SIMON; PORTELA, PAULA; ASHE, MARK P.

iScience

Cell Press

Año: 2021

2589-0042

Glycolysis is a fundamental metabolic pathway for glucose catabolism across biology, andglycolytic enzymes are amongst the most abundant proteins in cells. Their expression at suchlevels provides a particular challenge. Here we demonstrate that the glycolytic mRNAs arelocalized to granules in yeast and human cells. Detailed live cell and smFISH studies in yeastshow that the mRNAs are actively translated in granules, and this translation appears critical forthe localization. Furthermore, this arrangement is likely to facilitate the higher levelorganisation and control of the glycolytic pathway. Indeed, the degree of fermentation requiredby cells is intrinsically connected to the extent of mRNA localization to granules. On this basis,we term these granules, Core Fermentation (CoFe) granules; they appear to representtranslation factories allowing high-level co-ordinated enzyme synthesis for a critical metabolicpathway.