Adaptation of mRNA structure to control protein folding. Issue 12 (2nd December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Faure, Guilhem; Ogurtsov, Aleksey Y.; Shabalina, Svetlana A.; Koonin, Eugene V.
• Is Part Of: RNA biology. Volume 14:Issue 12(2017)
• Page Start: 1649
• Page End: 1654
• Publication Date: 2017-12-02
• Subjects: mRNA structure -- protein structure -- cotranslational protein folding -- translation pausing -- mRNA evolution; RNA -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Molecular biology; RNA; Periodicals; 572.8805
• DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1349047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1547-6286

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Comparison of mRNA and protein structures shows that highly structured mRNAs typically encode compact protein domains suggesting that mRNA structure controls protein folding. This function is apparently performed by distinct structural elements in the mRNA, which implies 'fine tuning' of mRNA structure under selection for optimal protein folding. We find that, during evolution, changes in the mRNA folding energy follow amino acid replacements, reinforcing the notion of an intimate connection between the structures of a mRNA and the protein it encodes, and the double encoding of protein sequence and folding in the mRNA.