Cited by 43RNA and protein synthesis mechanismsRNA Research and SplicingProtein Structure and Dynamics

Structural determinants of co-translational protein complex assembly

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Mallik, Saurav, Venezian, Johannes, Lobov, Arseniy, Heidenreich, Meta, Garcia-Seisdedos, Hector, Yeates, Todd O., Shiber, Ayala, Levy, Emmanuel D.·2025·Cell

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Protein assembly into functional complexes is critical to life's processes. While complex assembly is classically described as occurring between fully synthesized proteins, recent work showed that co-translational assembly is prevalent in human cells. However, the biological basis for the existence of this process and the identity of protein pairs that assemble co-translationally remain unknown. We show that co-translational assembly is governed by structural characteristics of complexes and involves mutually stabilized subunits. Accordingly, co-translationally assembling subunits are unstable in isolation and exhibit synchronized proteostasis with their partner. By leveraging structural signatures and AlphaFold2-based predictions, we accurately predicted co-translational assembly, including pair identities, at proteome scale and across species. We validated our predictions by ribosome profiling, stoichiometry perturbations, and single-molecule RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) experiments that revealed co-localized mRNAs. This work establishes a fundamental connection between protein structure and the translation process, highlighting the overarching impact of three-dimensional structure on gene expression, mRNA localization, and proteostasis.

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Authors
Mallik, S., Venezian, J., Lobov, A., Heidenreich, M., Garcia-Seisdedos, H., Yeates, T. O., Shiber, A., & Levy, E. D.
Affiliations
  • Weizmann Institute of Science (IL)
  • Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (IL)
  • Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (ES)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • University of Geneva (CH)
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2025-02
Volume
188
Issue
3
Pages
764-777.e22
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4405632896
Cited by
42
References
125
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 3
FWCI
5.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Israel Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption
  • Abisch-Frenkel-Stiftung (2031817)
  • European Research Council (819318)
  • Israel Science Foundation (1452/18, 2106/20)
  • Horizon 2020
  • Weizmann Institute of Science
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Research and Splicing
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Structure and Dynamics
Keywords
protein complex structure, protein stability, proteostasis, mRNA localization, ribosome profiling, single-molecule RNA FISH, AlphaFold2, protein-protein interaction, gene expression regulation
MeSH terms
Proteostasis, Animals, Humans, Ribosomes, RNA, Messenger, Protein Biosynthesis, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence, Proteome, Multiprotein Complexes, HEK293 Cells

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