Abstract
In the model fungus Podospora anserina, the PaYIP3 gene encoding the orthologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae YIP3 Rab-GDI complex dissociation factor expresses two polypeptides, one of which, the long form, is produced through a programmed translation frameshift. Inactivation of PaYIP3 results in slightly delayed growth associated with modification in repartition of fruiting body on the thallus, along with reduced ascospore production on wood. Long and short forms of PaYIP3 are expressed in the mycelium, while only the short form appears expressed in the maturing fruiting body (perithecium). The frameshift has been conserved over the evolution of the Pezizomycotina, lasting for over 400 million years, suggesting that it has an important role in the wild.
Highlights
All living cells have to accurately convert gene information into proteins in a complex multistep process
Among the recoding sites identified, programmed frameshifting (PRF) are the most frequently found signals. +1 frameshifting motifs are widespread and regulate several important cellular functions in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes [2,3] whereas 21 frameshifting events are currently mainly limited to viral genomes [4], with very few exceptions such as dnaX in prokaryotes or the edr/PEG10 and Ma3 genes in eukaryotes [5,6,7,8]. 21 frameshifting motifs are minimally formed by a slippery sequence of the general structure X XXY YYZ where tRNAs shift reading frame, and a stimulatory element [9,10] located 5–9 nucleotides downstream of the slippery sequence
We could not find a canonical frameshift signal; examination of the PaYIP3 sequence suggested that frameshifting could happen at codon nu 170, since there is at this position the sequence ‘‘U UUU UCC’’, a potential slippery sequence [10]
Summary
All living cells have to accurately convert gene information into proteins in a complex multistep process. The reading frame is defined by the start codon, as the genetic code is unpunctuated; any shift leads to an aberrant protein. Signals are present on some mRNAs and induce an alternative reading of the genetic code by diverting the standard rules. These elements are very efficient at disrupting ribosome accuracy, increasing error rate from background (,561025) to 50% [1]. Such programmed events are known as recoding. Among the recoding sites identified, programmed frameshifting (PRF) are the most frequently found signals. +1 frameshifting motifs are widespread and regulate several important cellular functions in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes [2,3] whereas 21 frameshifting events are currently mainly limited to viral genomes [4], with very few exceptions such as dnaX in prokaryotes or the edr/PEG10 and Ma3 genes in eukaryotes [5,6,7,8]. 21 frameshifting motifs are minimally formed by a slippery sequence of the general structure X XXY YYZ (the initial reading frame is indicated) where tRNAs shift reading frame, and a stimulatory element (mainly a secondary structure) [9,10] located 5–9 nucleotides (nt) downstream of the slippery sequence
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