GRC5 and NMD3 function in translational control of gene expression and interact genetically

The yeast gene, GRC5 (growth control), is a member of the highly conserved QM gene family, the human member of which has been associated with the suppression of Wilms' tumor. GRC5 encodes ribosomal protein L10, which is thought to play a regulatory role in the translational control of gene expression. A revertant screen identified four spontaneous revertants of the mutant grc5-1(ts) allele. Genetic and phenotypic analysis showed that these represent one gene, NMD3, and that the interaction of NMD3 and GRC5 is gene-specific. NMD3 was previously identified as a component of the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway. The point mutations within NMD3 reported here may define a domain important for the functional interaction of Grc5p and Nmd3p.