GTPase driven maturation of the human mitoribosomal peptidyl transferase center

We combine genetic perturbation with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to establish the mechanism of PTC maturation during human mitoribosome biogenesis. Cryo-EM structures of large mitoribosomal subunit (mtLSU) assembly intermediates purified from GTPBP6-deficient cells reveal that GTPBP5 acts in concert with the methyltransferase domain of the NSUN4-MTERF4 complex to facilitate PTC folding. Addition of recombinant GTPBP6 to these assembly intermediates provides the structural basis for subsequent GTPBP6-mediated late PTC maturation and suggests a sequential order of mtLSU biogenesis. Finally, cryo-EM analysis of 55S mitoribosomes treated with GTPBP6 explains how this protein can adopt a dual role in ribosome biogenesis and recycling. Taken together, these results provide the molecular basis for PTC maturation and establish a hierarchical model for late mitoribosome biogenesis.