Mechanism of mitoribosomal small subunit biogenesis and preinitiation

Mitoribosomes are essential for synthesis and maintenance of bioenergetic proteins. Here, we use cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine a series of the small mitoribosomal subunit (SSU) intermediates in complex with auxiliary factors, revealing a sequential assembly mechanism. The methyltransferase TFB1M binds to partially unfolded rRNA h45 that is promoted by RBFA, while the mRNA channel is blocked. This enables METTL15 binding that promotes further rRNA maturation and a large conformational change of RBFA. The new conformation allows initiation factor mtIF3 to already occupy the subunit interface during the assembly. Finally, the mitochondria-specific ribosomal protein mS37 outcompetes RBFA to complete the assembly with the SSU:mS37:mtIF3 complex that proceeds towards IF2 binding and translation initiation. Our results explain how the action of step-specific factors modulate the dynamic assembly of the SSU, and adaptation of a unique protein mS37 links the assembly to initiation to establish the catalytic human mitoribosome.