Modified nucleotides m(2)G966/m(5)C967 of Escherichia coli 16S rRNA are required for attenuation of tryptophan operon

Ribosomes contain a number of modifications in rRNA, the function of which is unclear. Here we show – using proteomic analysis and dual fluorescence reporter in vivo assays – that m(2)G966 and m(5)C967 in 16S rRNA of Escherichia coli ribosomes are necessary for correct attenuation of tryptophan (trp) operon. Expression of trp operon is upregulated in the strain where RsmD and RsmB methyltransferases were deleted, which results in the lack of m(2)G966 and m(5)C967 modifications. The upregulation requires the trpL attenuator, but is independent of the promotor of trp operon, ribosome binding site of the trpE gene, which follows trp attenuator and even Trp codons in the trpL sequence. Suboptimal translation initiation efficiency in the rsmB/rsmD knockout strain is likely to cause a delay in translation relative to transcription which causes misregulation of attenuation control of trp operon.