Regulation of translation dynamic and neoplastic conversion by tRNA and their pieces

Abstract

Research on transfer RNA (tRNA) has gone a long way since the existence of this essential adapter of the genetic code was first hypothesized five decades ago. With the new and fascinating discovering of connections between tRNAs and cellular pathways beyond genetic translation, the field of tRNA research has reached a new era. Here, we review some aspects of the emerging variety of tasks performed by full length tRNAs as well as their fragments generated by specific nuclease cleavage. Topics of special focus include the effect of differential expression of tRNAs in healthy tissues as well as their frequent deregulation observed in cancer cells. We also discuss the central role played by tRNAMet in cell metabolism, proliferation, and response to oxidative stress. Finally we review evidences suggesting that tRNAs are critical sources of short RNAs regulating an ever growing variety of cellular processes including translation initiation, control of genomic retroviral sequences, or RNA interference.

Keywords: :

• transfer RNA
• translation
• misacylation
• tRNA fragments
• cancer
• oxidative stress
• gene regulation

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Acknowledgments

The College of Charleston and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (ANR11SVSE8–025–01) sponsor the authors’ current research activities. We thank Jomel Jacinto and Joseph Karam from the College of Charleston for comments on this manuscript.