Arabidopsis TRM5 encodes a nuclear-localised bifunctional tRNA guanine and inosine-N1-methyltransferase that is important for growth

Modified nucleosides in tRNAs are critical for protein translation. N¹-methylguanosine-37 and N¹-methylinosine-37 in tRNAs, both located at the 3’-adjacent to the anticodon, are formed by Trm5. Here we describe Arabidopsis thaliana AtTRM5 (At3g56120) as a Trm5 ortholog. Attrm5 mutant plants have overall slower growth as observed by slower leaf initiation rate, delayed flowering and reduced primary root length. In Attrm5 mutants, mRNAs of flowering time genes are less abundant and correlated with delayed flowering. We show that AtTRM5 complements the yeast trm5 mutant, and in vitro methylates tRNA guanosine-37 to produce N¹-methylguanosine (m¹G). We also show in vitro that AtTRM5 methylates tRNA inosine-37 to produce N¹-methylinosine (m¹I) and in Attrm5 mutant plants, we show a reduction of both N¹-methylguanosine and N¹-methylinosine. We also show that AtTRM5 is localized to the nucleus in plant cells. Proteomics data showed that photosynthetic protein abundance is affected in Attrm5 mutant plants. Finally, we show tRNA-Ala aminoacylation is not affected in Attrm5 mutants. However the abundance of tRNA-Ala and tRNA-Asp 5’ half cleavage products are deduced. Our findings highlight the bifunctionality of AtTRM5 and the importance of the post-transcriptional tRNA modifications m¹G and m¹I at tRNA position 37 in general plant growth and development.