Reducing Ribosome Biosynthesis Promotes Translation during Low Mg 2+ Stress
Open accessAbstract
The synthesis of ribosomes is regulated by both amino acid abundance and the availability of ATP, which regenerates guanosine triphosphate (GTP), powers ribosomes, and promotes transcription of rRNA genes. We now report that bacteria supersede both of these controls when experiencing low cytosolic magnesium (Mg 2+), a divalent cation essential for ribosome stabilization and for neutralization of ATP's negative charge. We uncover a regulatory circuit that responds to low cytosolic Mg 2+ by promoting expression of proteins that import Mg 2+ and lower ATP amounts. This response reduces the levels of ATP and ribosomes, making Mg 2+ ions available for translation. Mutants defective in Mg 2+ uptake and unable to reduce ATP levels accumulate non-functional ribosomal components and undergo translational arrest. Our findings establish a paradigm whereby cells reduce the amounts of translating ribosomes to carry out protein synthesis.
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Translation is the single most energy-intensive process in the cell, and Mg2+-limited cells may become growth-limited due to defects in translation.
“Translation is the single most energy-intensive process in the cell, and Mg2+-limited cells may become growth-limited due to defects in translation (29).”
From A Central Role for Magnesium Homeostasis during Adaptation to Osmotic Stress (2022) · cites this paper as [29]
The Results and Discussion sections on cytosolic Mg2+ homeostasis and growth rate link low Mg2+ to impaired translation and slower growth in a Salmonella mutant. The Introduction also reports reduced translation during Mg2+ deprivation. The paper does not establish that translation is the single most energy-intensive cellular process. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA decrease in Mg2+ during osmoadaptation could impair translation and thereby delay the resumption of growth.
“These data, together with recent publications highlighting the connection between Mg2+ homeostasis and translation (29, 33, 34), support the idea that a decrease in Mg2+ during osmoadaptation could impair translation and thereby delay the resumption of growth.”
From A Central Role for Magnesium Homeostasis during Adaptation to Osmotic Stress (2022) · cites this paper as [29]
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References 82 · Cited by 115
- Authors
- Pontes, M. H., Yeom, J., & Groisman, E. A.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Groisman, Eduardo A.
- Venue
- Molecular Cell
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-11
- Volume
- 64
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 480-492
- ISSN
- 1097-2765 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5500012
- OpenAlex
- W2531471130
- Cited by
- 115
- References
- 82
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 3.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Molecular Cell (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- NIH
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Biochemical and Molecular Research
- Keywords
- ribosome biogenesis, ATP depletion, translation (biology), translational arrest, ribosome stability, rDNA transcription, ribosomal proteins, bacterial stress response
- MeSH terms
- Adenosine Triphosphate, Organelle Biogenesis, Cations, Divalent, Culture Media, Escherichia coli, Guanosine Triphosphate, Magnesium, Ribosomal Proteins, Ribosomes, Salmonella typhimurium, Stress, Physiological, Protein Biosynthesis, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Static Electricity
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