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Modifications at tRNA wobble base positions, such as xm5s2U, are critical for accurate protein translation. These modifications are ubiquitously found in tRNAs decoding two-family box codons ending in A or G in prokaryotes and in eukaryotic organelles. Here, we investigated the xm5s2U biosynthetic pathway in the apicoplast organelle of P. falciparum. Through comparative genomics, we identified orthologs of enzymes involved in this process: SufS, MnmA, MnmE, and MnmG. While SufS and MnmA were previously shown to catalyze s2U modifications, we now show that MnmE and MnmG are apicoplast-localized and contain features required for xm5s2U biosynthetic activity. Notably, we found that P. falciparum lacks orthologs of MnmC, MnmL, and MnmM, suggesting that the parasites contain a minimal xm5s2U biosynthetic pathway similar to that found in bacteria with reduced genomes. Deletion of either MnmE or MnmG resulted in apicoplast disruption and parasite death, mimicking the phenotype observed in \u0394mnmA and \u0394sufS parasites. Our data strongly support the presence and essentiality of xm5s2U modifications in apicoplast tRNAs. This study advances our understanding of the minimal requirements for protein translation in the apicoplast organelle.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1101\/2024.12.21.629855","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,22]],"date-time":"2024-12-22T23:55:14Z","timestamp":1734911714000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["tRNA modifying enzymes MnmE and MnmG are essential for Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast maintenance"],"prefix":"10.64898","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1561-5257","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rubayet","family":"Elahi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4442-3019","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luciana Ribeiro","family":"Dinis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1442-9740","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Russell P","family":"Swift","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hans B","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9684-1733","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sean T","family":"Prigge","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"54368","reference":[{"key":"2024122408251079000_2024.12.21.629855v1.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0092-8674(02)01086-3"},{"key":"2024122408251079000_2024.12.21.629855v1.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-2836(66)80022-0"},{"key":"2024122408251079000_2024.12.21.629855v1.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bj\u00f6rk GR . 1994. 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Identification and molecular genetic characterization oftrmU, a gene essential for 2-thiouridine modification oftRNA in Escherichia coliYale University, United States -- Connecticut."},{"key":"2024122408251079000_2024.12.21.629855v1.68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2022.947039"},{"key":"2024122408251079000_2024.12.21.629855v1.69","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/15476286.2018.1517012"},{"key":"2024122408251079000_2024.12.21.629855v1.70","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gao T , Yuan F , Liu Z , Liu W , Zhou D , Yang K , Duan Z , Guo R , Liang W , Hu Q , Tian Y , Zhou R . 2019. MnmE, a central tRNA-modifying GTPase, is essential for the growth, pathogenicity, and Arginine metabolism of Streptococcus suis Serotype 2. 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