Impact of translational selection on codon usage bias in the archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis.

ABSTRACT: Patterns of codon usage have been extensively studied among Bacteria and Eukaryotes, but there has been little investigation of species from the third domain of life, the Archaea. Here, we examine the nature of codon usage bias in a methanogenic archaeon, Methanococcus maripaludis. Genome-wide patterns of codon usage are dominated by a strong A + T bias, presumably largely reflecting mutation patterns. Nevertheless, there is variation among genes in the use of a subset of putatively translationally optimal codons, which is strongly correlated with gene expression level. In comparison with Bacteria such as Escherichia coli, the strength of selected codon usage bias in highly expressed genes in M. maripaludis seems surprisingly high given its moderate growth rate. However, the pattern of sel

SUBMITTER: Emery LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3030896 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature