A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding
Abstract The genetic code is degenerate, and most amino acids are encoded by two to six synonymous codons. Codon usage bias, the preference for certain synonymous codons, is a universal feature of all genomes examined. Synonymous codon mutations were previously thought to be silent; however, a growi...
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doaj-6d62e6b5d4f84452a14c0c8c5e1c52662020-11-25T02:49:29ZengBMCCell Communication and Signaling1478-811X2020-09-011811910.1186/s12964-020-00642-6A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein foldingYi Liu0Department of Physiology, ND13.214A, UT Southwestern Medical CenterAbstract The genetic code is degenerate, and most amino acids are encoded by two to six synonymous codons. Codon usage bias, the preference for certain synonymous codons, is a universal feature of all genomes examined. Synonymous codon mutations were previously thought to be silent; however, a growing body evidence now shows that codon usage regulates protein structure and gene expression through effects on co-translational protein folding, translation efficiency and accuracy, mRNA stability, and transcription. Codon usage regulates the speed of translation elongation, resulting in non-uniform ribosome decoding rates on mRNAs during translation that is adapted to co-translational protein folding process. Biochemical and genetic evidence demonstrate that codon usage plays an important role in regulating protein folding and function in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Certain protein structural types are more sensitive than others to the effects of codon usage on protein folding, and predicted intrinsically disordered domains are more prone to misfolding caused by codon usage changes than other domain types. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that gene codon usage correlates with different protein structures in diverse organisms, indicating the existence of a codon usage code for co-translational protein folding. This review focuses on recent literature on the role and mechanism of codon usage in regulating translation kinetics and co-translational protein folding. Video abstracthttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12964-020-00642-6Codon usageTranslation elongationCo-translational protein foldingIntrinsically disordered protein |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Yi Liu |
spellingShingle |
Yi Liu A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding Cell Communication and Signaling Codon usage Translation elongation Co-translational protein folding Intrinsically disordered protein |
author_facet |
Yi Liu |
author_sort |
Yi Liu |
title |
A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding |
title_short |
A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding |
title_full |
A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding |
title_fullStr |
A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding |
title_full_unstemmed |
A code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding |
title_sort |
code within the genetic code: codon usage regulates co-translational protein folding |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
Cell Communication and Signaling |
issn |
1478-811X |
publishDate |
2020-09-01 |
description |
Abstract The genetic code is degenerate, and most amino acids are encoded by two to six synonymous codons. Codon usage bias, the preference for certain synonymous codons, is a universal feature of all genomes examined. Synonymous codon mutations were previously thought to be silent; however, a growing body evidence now shows that codon usage regulates protein structure and gene expression through effects on co-translational protein folding, translation efficiency and accuracy, mRNA stability, and transcription. Codon usage regulates the speed of translation elongation, resulting in non-uniform ribosome decoding rates on mRNAs during translation that is adapted to co-translational protein folding process. Biochemical and genetic evidence demonstrate that codon usage plays an important role in regulating protein folding and function in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Certain protein structural types are more sensitive than others to the effects of codon usage on protein folding, and predicted intrinsically disordered domains are more prone to misfolding caused by codon usage changes than other domain types. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that gene codon usage correlates with different protein structures in diverse organisms, indicating the existence of a codon usage code for co-translational protein folding. This review focuses on recent literature on the role and mechanism of codon usage in regulating translation kinetics and co-translational protein folding. Video abstract |
topic |
Codon usage Translation elongation Co-translational protein folding Intrinsically disordered protein |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12964-020-00642-6 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT yiliu acodewithinthegeneticcodecodonusageregulatescotranslationalproteinfolding AT yiliu codewithinthegeneticcodecodonusageregulatescotranslationalproteinfolding |
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