A beneficial synonymous substitution in EF-Tu is contingent on genetic background.

ABSTRACT: Synonymous mutations are changes to DNA sequence that occur within translated genes but which do not affect the protein sequence. Although often referred to as silent mutations, evidence suggests that synonymous mutations can affect gene expression, mRNA stability, and even translation efficiency. A collection of both experimental and bioinformatic data has shown that synonymous mutations can impact cell phenotype, yet less is known about the molecular mechanisms and potential of beneficial or adaptive effects of such changes within evolved populations. Here, we report a beneficial synonymous mutation acquired via experimental evolution in an essential gene variant encoding the translation Elongation Factor protein EF-Tu. We demonstrate that this particular synonymous mutation increases EF

SUBMITTER: McGrath KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10602032 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature