Variation in Release Factor Abundance Is Not Needed to Explain Trends in Bacterial Stop Codon Usage

• Published in: Molecular biology and evolution Vol. 39; no. 1
• Main Authors: Ho, Alexander T, Hurst, Laurence D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 07.01.2022
• Subjects: Analysis; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Base Composition; Codon; Codon Usage; Codon, Terminator; Discoveries; Genetic translation; Peptide Termination Factors - genetics; translation termination; release factor; molecular evolution; stop codons

Abstract In bacteria stop codons are recognized by one of two class I release factors (RF1) recognizing TAG, RF2 recognizing TGA, and TAA being recognized by both. Variation across bacteria in the relative abundance of RF1 and RF2 is thus hypothesized to select for different TGA/TAG usage. This has...