A post-translational modification in the GGQ motif of RF2 from Escherichia coli stimulates termination of translation.

ABSTRACT: A post-translational modification affecting the translation termination rate was identified in the universally conserved GGQ sequence of release factor 2 (RF2) from Escherichia coli, which is thought to mimic the CCA end of the tRNA molecule. It was shown by mass spectrometry and Edman degradation that glutamine in position 252 is N:(5)-methylated. Overexpression of RF2 yields protein lacking the methylation. RF2 from E.coli K12 is unique in having Thr246 near the GGQ motif, where all other sequenced bacterial class 1 RFs have alanine or serine. Sequencing the prfB gene from E.coli B and MRE600 strains showed that residue 246 is coded as alanine, in contrast to K12 RF2. Thr246 decreases RF2-dependent termination efficiency compared with Ala246, especially for short peptidyl-tRNAs. Methylat

SUBMITTER: Dincbas-Renqvist V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC305885 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature