WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.

Ribosomes, vital for life, consist of a large subunit and a small subunit (SSU), the latter is crucial for translation initiation and mRNA binding. The SSU processome, a 71-protein multimer in humans, is an intermediate in ribosome formation. One of its constituents, WDR75 plays a pivotal role by bi...

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Main Authors: Lauren Lee, Justen B Whittall
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318395
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author Lauren Lee
Justen B Whittall
author_facet Lauren Lee
Justen B Whittall
author_sort Lauren Lee
collection DOAJ
description Ribosomes, vital for life, consist of a large subunit and a small subunit (SSU), the latter is crucial for translation initiation and mRNA binding. The SSU processome, a 71-protein multimer in humans, is an intermediate in ribosome formation. One of its constituents, WDR75 plays a pivotal role by binding to an evolutionary conserved motif in the external transcribed spacer region of the rRNA to help form the SSU. Herein, we explore mammalian WDR75 molecular evolution, 3D structure, and phylogeny in light of its essential role in the SSU processome. We predict to find the footprint of purifying selection, especially at sites that are essential for proper ribosome assembly. In our comparison of 70 mammalian WDR75 sequences, we found ~25% of sites with significant purifying selection and no evidence of positive selection. Purifying selection was ~5x stronger for sites folding into beta-sheets than those predicted to be coils. Phylogenetic analysis validated expected mammalian relationships and uncovered an unusually long branch leading to mouse-eared bats, exhibiting 18x more substitutions per site than the average mammalian substitution rate. In testing for molecular evolution among branches, we found no evidence for purifying selection along any individual branches, but unexpectedly detected significant diversifying selection solely among African great apes.
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spelling doaj-art-8aae3cf66d1a475a8f5c16a52363ef952025-08-20T02:16:13ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01202e031839510.1371/journal.pone.0318395WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.Lauren LeeJusten B WhittallRibosomes, vital for life, consist of a large subunit and a small subunit (SSU), the latter is crucial for translation initiation and mRNA binding. The SSU processome, a 71-protein multimer in humans, is an intermediate in ribosome formation. One of its constituents, WDR75 plays a pivotal role by binding to an evolutionary conserved motif in the external transcribed spacer region of the rRNA to help form the SSU. Herein, we explore mammalian WDR75 molecular evolution, 3D structure, and phylogeny in light of its essential role in the SSU processome. We predict to find the footprint of purifying selection, especially at sites that are essential for proper ribosome assembly. In our comparison of 70 mammalian WDR75 sequences, we found ~25% of sites with significant purifying selection and no evidence of positive selection. Purifying selection was ~5x stronger for sites folding into beta-sheets than those predicted to be coils. Phylogenetic analysis validated expected mammalian relationships and uncovered an unusually long branch leading to mouse-eared bats, exhibiting 18x more substitutions per site than the average mammalian substitution rate. In testing for molecular evolution among branches, we found no evidence for purifying selection along any individual branches, but unexpectedly detected significant diversifying selection solely among African great apes.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318395
spellingShingle Lauren Lee
Justen B Whittall
WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.
PLoS ONE
title WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.
title_full WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.
title_fullStr WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.
title_full_unstemmed WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.
title_short WDR75: An essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection.
title_sort wdr75 an essential protein for ribosome assembly undergoing purifying selection
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318395
work_keys_str_mv AT laurenlee wdr75anessentialproteinforribosomeassemblyundergoingpurifyingselection
AT justenbwhittall wdr75anessentialproteinforribosomeassemblyundergoingpurifyingselection