RNA Structure Coordinates Translation Across the Meiotic Program

Meiosis is a fundamental eukaryotic process characterized by intricate chromosomal behaviors that severely limit transcriptional activities. A pivotal question in this context is how mRNAs, transcribed in preparation for meiosis, are selectively translated at specific stages to ensure an accurate meiotic program. We measured mRNA abundance, mRNA structure, and protein abundance across yeast sporulation to reveal the role of mRNA structure in translation regulation. We found the structures of transcripts upregulated during meiosis were flexible overall, which enhanced translation efficiency, whereas complex structures delayed translation timing, particularly in abundant mRNAs. We observed a high-low-high oscillation in global RNA helicase levels during meiosis, which dynamically allocated ribosome resources as a function of mRNA structural complexity, thus impacting translation timing. This work reveals how transcript-specific degrees in RNA folding, across thousands of genes, coordinate stage-specific translation, highlighting a pivotal post-transcriptional regulatory layer when transcription is compromised by chromosome condensation.