RNA binding proteins Smaug and Cup induce CCR4–NOT-dependent deadenylation of the nanos mRNA in a reconstituted system

Posttranscriptional regulation of the maternal nanos mRNA is essential for the development of the anterior – posterior axis of the Drosophila embryo. The nanos RNA is regulated by the protein Smaug, which binds to Smaug recognition elements (SREs) in the nanos 3’-UTR and nucleates the assembly of a larger repressor complex including the eIF4E-T paralog Cup and five additional proteins. The Smaug-dependent complex represses translation of nanos and induces its deadenylation by the CCR4–NOT deadenylase. Here we report an in vitro reconstitution of the Drosophila CCR4–NOT complex and Smaug-dependent deadenylation. We find that Smaug by itself is sufficient to cause deadenylation by the Drosophila or human CCR4–NOT complexes in an SRE-dependent manner. CCR4–NOT subunits NOT10 and NOT11 are dispensable, but the NOT module, consisting of NOT2, NOT3 and the C-terminal part of NOT1, is required. Smaug interacts with the C-terminal domain of NOT3. Both catalytic subunits of CCR4–NOT contribute to Smaug-dependent deadenylation. Whereas the CCR4–NOT complex itself acts distributively, Smaug induces a processive behavior. The cytoplasmic poly(A) binding protein (PABPC) has a minor inhibitory effect on Smaug-dependent deadenylation. Among the additional constituents of the Smaug-dependent repressor complex, Cup also facilitates CCR4–NOT-dependent deadenylation, both independently and in cooperation with Smaug.