Ribosome Function and Dynamics

Dear Colleagues,

Protein translation on ribosomes is an essential, universally conserved process. Perhaps due to this universal nature, the ribosome has long been regarded as a homogenous machine that synthesizes proteins according to the information in mRNA. However, numerous discoveries in recent years contradict this image of a uniform ribosome. High throughput approaches have revealed that both the protein composition and the protein and rRNA modification pattern of ribosomes can differ between cell types, tissues or developmental stages. Collectively these findings have led to the suggestion that “specialized ribosomes” exist. However, the functional consequences of ribosome heterogeneity to translation remain to be established. In addition to ribosome heterogeneity, protein translation has been shown to be regulated by a dynamic tRNA modification and novel noncoding RNAs and tRNA-fragments binding directly to ribosomes. Both protein translation and the synthesis of ribosomes are intrinsically linked to cell growth and proliferation, not only in healthy cells, but also in transformed cancerous cells. This can be visualized in the morphology of the nucleolus, which is frequently used as a marker for cancer. Several ribosomal proteins appear to have noncanonical functions in the nucleolar stress response and regulation of p53 levels and apoptosis. As such ribosome biogenesis has been recognized as an important target for cancer treatment.

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together the latest knowledge and thus provide a resource of information and perspective that will stimulate future research. We, therefore, invite you to submit reviews and research papers on the topics related to dynamic ribosome composition, function, and regulation.

This may include but is not limited to the following topics:

• Conservation of ribosomal proteins, RNA and modifications across the kingdoms of life
• Ribosomal proteins – isoforms, ribosomopathies, and non-ribosomal functions
• rDNA transcription, rDNA stability, rDNA repeat variability
• Ribosome biogenesis including the nucleolus structure and phase separation
• rRNA modifications & snoRNAs
• Ribosome heterogeneity (specialized ribosomes): protein composition, rRNA sequence variability and rRNA modification
• Ribosomes/nucleolus and cancer (cause vs consequence, feedback between ribosome biogenesis and cell cycle)
• Translation regulation (tRNA halfmers and ncRNAs, tRNA modification)
• Ribosome turnover (ribophagy, ribosome surveillance and quality control)
• Antibiotics and inhibitors of ribosome biogenesis.
• Methods to characterize ribosomes, modifications, and translation.

Dr. Martin Koš
Dr. Emma Thomson
Guest Editors

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