Long-form hibernation-promoting factor coordinates 100S assembly and translational repression

Abstract

Ribosome hibernation mediated by long-form hibernation-promoting factor (HPF) requires coordination of ribosome dimerization and translational repression, but how these functions are integrated remains unclear. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of native 100S from a deep-sea Bacillus isolate, revealing a conformationally heterogeneous 100S population. Beyond the established roles of the HPF N-terminal domain (NTD) in decoding-center occlusion and the C-terminal domain (CTD) in dimerization, our analyses reveal additional contributions from the Linker and a charged CTD surface near the 16S rRNA 3' terminus containing the anti-Shine-Dalgarno (aSD) sequence. Linker substitutions differentially affect translational repression while retaining 100S formation, with distinct effects of the two Linker segments. Mutation of the charged CTD surface enhances translational repression while retaining robust 100S formation, suggesting an additional role beyond CTD-mediated ribosome dimerization. Functional analyses in an E. coli cell-free translation system further show that the inhibitory activity of individual HPF regions varies with translational context. Together, these findings support a modular model in which the NTD, Linker, and CTD make distinct but interconnected contributions to 100S assembly and translational repression.