Evolutionarily conserved inhibitory uORFs sensitize <i>Hox</i> mRNA translation to start codon selection stringency.

ABSTRACT: Translation start site selection in eukaryotes is influenced by context nucleotides flanking the AUG codon and by levels of the eukaryotic translation initiation factors eIF1 and eIF5. In a search of mammalian genes, we identified five homeobox (Hox) gene paralogs initiated by AUG codons in conserved suboptimal context as well as 13 Hox genes that contain evolutionarily conserved upstream open reading frames (uORFs) that initiate at AUG codons in poor sequence context. An analysis of published cap analysis of gene expression sequencing (CAGE-seq) data and generated CAGE-seq data for messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from mouse somites revealed that the 5' leaders of Hox mRNAs of interest contain conserved uORFs, are generally much shorter than reported, and lack previously propos

SUBMITTER: Ivanov IP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8892498 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature