Evidence for conservation and selection of upstream open reading frames suggests probable encoding of bioactive peptides.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Approximately 40% of mammalian mRNA sequences contain AUG trinucleotides upstream of the main coding sequence, with a quarter of these AUGs demarcating open reading frames of 20 or more codons. In order to investigate whether these open reading frames may encode functional peptides, we have carried out a comparative genomic analysis of human and mouse mRNA 'untranslated regions' using sequences from the RefSeq mRNA sequence database.

Results

We have identified over 200 upstream open reading frames which are strongly conserved between the human and mouse genomes. Consensus sequences associated with efficient initiation of translation are overrepresented at the AUG trinucleotides of these upstream open reading frames, while comparative analysis of their DNA and puta

SUBMITTER: Crowe ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1402274 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature