Nucleoside modifications in the regulation of gene expression: focus on tRNA.

ABSTRACT: Both, DNA and RNA nucleoside modifications contribute to the complex multi-level regulation of gene expression. Modified bases in tRNAs modulate protein translation rates in a highly dynamic manner. Synonymous codons, which differ by the third nucleoside in the triplet but code for the same amino acid, may be utilized at different rates according to codon-anticodon affinity. Nucleoside modifications in the tRNA anticodon loop can favor the interaction with selected codons by stabilizing specific base pairs. Similarly, weakening of base pairing can discriminate against binding to near-cognate codons. mRNAs enriched in favored codons are translated in higher rates constituting a fine-tuning mechanism for protein synthesis. This so-called codon bias establishes a basic protein level, but some

SUBMITTER: Duechler M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4951516 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature