Duplicated ribosomal protein paralogs promote alternative translation and drug resistance

Ribosomes are often seen as monolithic machines produced from uniformly regulated genes. However, in yeast most ribosomal proteins come from duplicated genes. Here, we demonstrate that gene duplication may serve as an adaption mechanism modulating the global proteome through the differential expression of ribosomal proteins paralogs after exposure to stress. Our data indicate that the yeast paralog pair of the ribosomal protein L7/uL30 produces two differentially acetylated proteins. Under normal conditions most ribosomes incorporate the hypo-acetylated major form favoring the translation of genes with short open reading frames. Exposure to drugs, on the other hand, increases the production of ribosomes carrying the hyper-acetylated minor paralog that increases translation of long reading frames. Many of these long genes encode cell wall proteins that increase drug resistance in a programed change in translation equilibrium. Together the data reveal a mechanism of translation control through the differential fates of near-identical ribosomal protein isoforms. Overall design: Total RNA and ribosome associated RNA from wild type cells and cells carrying a copy of either uL30A or uL30B on plasmid was sequenced.