Differential translation tunes uneven production of operon-encoded proteins

Tessa E. F. Quax, Yuri I. Wolf, Jasper J. Koehorst, Omri Wurtzel, der Oost, Richard van der Oost, Wenqi Ran, Fabian Blombach, Kira S. Makarova, Stan J. J. Brouns, Anthony C. Forster, E. Gerhart H. Wagner, Rotem Sorek, Eugene V. Koonin, der Oost, John van der Oost, Richard vanderOost, John vanderOost

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Clustering of functionally related genes in operons allows for coregulated gene expression in prokaryotes. This is advantageous when equal amounts of gene products are required. Production of protein complexes with an uneven stoichiometry, however, requires tuning mechanisms to generate subunits in appropriate relative quantities. Using comparative genomic analysis, we show that differential translation is a key determinant of modulated expression of genes clustered in operons and that codon bias generally is the best insilico indicator of unequal protein production. Variable ribosome density profiles of polycistronic transcripts correlate strongly with differential translation patterns. In addition, we provide experimental evidence that de novo initiation of translation can occur at intercistronic sites, allowing for differential translation of any gene irrespective of its position on a polycistronic messenger. Thus, modulation of translation efficiency appears to be auniversal mode of control in bacteria and archaea that allows for differential production of operon-encodedproteins

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)938-944
Number of pages7
JournalCell Reports
Volume4
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 12 May 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology

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