Ribosomal protein eL39 is important for maturation of the nascent polypeptide exit tunnel and proper protein folding during translation.

During translation, nascent polypeptide chains travel from the peptidyl transferase center through the nascent polypeptide exit tunnel (NPET) to emerge from 60S subunits. The NPET includes portions of five of the six 25S/5.8S rRNA domains and ribosomal proteins uL4, uL22, and eL39. Internal loops of uL4 and uL22 form the constriction sites of the NPET and are important for both assembly and function of ribosomes. Here, we investigated the roles of eL39 in tunnel construction, 60S biogenesis, and protein synthesis. We show that eL39 is important for proper protein folding during translation. Consistent with a delay in processing of 27S and 7S pre-rRNAs, eL39 functions in pre-60S assembly during middle nucleolar stages. Our biochemical assays suggest the presence of eL39 in particles at these stages, although it is not visualized in them by cryo-electron microscopy. This indicates that eL39 takes part in assembly even when it is not fully accommodated into the body of pre-60S particles. eL39 is also important for later steps of assembly, rotation of the 5S ribonucleoprotein complex, likely through long range rRNA interactions. Finally, our data strongly suggest the presence of alternative pathways of ribosome assembly, previously observed in the biogenesis of bacterial ribosomal subunits.