The Selective Advantage of Synonymous Codon Usage Bias in Salmonella.

ABSTRACT: The genetic code in mRNA is redundant, with 61 sense codons translated into 20 different amino acids. Individual amino acids are encoded by up to six different codons but within codon families some are used more frequently than others. This phenomenon is referred to as synonymous codon usage bias. The genomes of free-living unicellular organisms such as bacteria have an extreme codon usage bias and the degree of bias differs between genes within the same genome. The strong positive correlation between codon usage bias and gene expression levels in many microorganisms is attributed to selection for translational efficiency. However, this putative selective advantage has never been measured in bacteria and theoretical estimates vary widely. By systematically exchanging optimal codons for syn

SUBMITTER: Brandis G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4786093 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature