几种模式生物基因组中最适密码对和稀有密码对使用的规律性

以6种模式生物基因组为样本,从密码对的碱基组成及密码子的使用两方面,分析了最适密码对与稀有密码对的使用。结果显示:6种生物的最适密码对rP双碱基TA出现的频数都是最低的,而出现频率最大的双碱墓对于古菌、细菌、真核是不同的;稀有密码对中双碱基TA出现的频数却是最高的,而出现频率最低的双碱基刘·于古菌、细菌、真核是不同的。这说明双碱基的分布与密码对的偏好性有很强的相关性,同时也与基因组进化存在关联。另外,我们也分析了本文的6种生物编码序列叶,最适密码对与稀有密码对的出现频数与密码了的相对使用频率的关系,发现密码对的出现频数与其密码子的使用存在相关性。     

密码对的使用与基因组进化

以5种真核、20种细菌、10种古菌生物的基因组为样本,分析了编码序列中密码对和基因间序列中三联体对的相对模式数随频数的分布,验证了这种分布符合Γ(α,β)分布。发现分布形状参数!值与生物基因组进化存在明显的相关性;编码序列与基因间序列的进化方式截然不同。随着进化,编码序列的分布形状逐渐向随机分布靠近(α值逐渐增大)。而对基因间序列,古菌与真核生物的分布形状接近,与细菌的分布相差明显。     

基于编码序列、基因间序列和氨基酸序列构建的系统发生关系比较

以7种古菌、46种细菌和10种真核生物的基因组为样本,考虑碱基间的短程关联和长程关联作用,得到编码序列的密码对和基因间序列的三联体对中不同位点的二核苷酸频率,据此构建了基于编码序列和基因间序列的系统发生关系。无论是基于编码序列还是基因间序列对信息进行聚类,古菌或真核均被聚在一支上,表明聚类参数的选择是合适的;与基于氨基酸序列构建的系统发生关系进行两两比较,发现大部分硬壁菌的编码序列与基因间序列之间,以及编码序列与氨基酸序列之间的进化都存在较大差异。通过分析认为,只有综合考虑这三类序列的进化信息,才可能得到更自然的系统发生关系。     

基于密码对使用的基因组进化

以密码对使用偏好性和密码对中二核苷酸频率分别构建了系统发育树。发现用40种模式生物编码序列中密码对的二核苷酸频率构建的系统发育树,明显将生物按进化分成细菌,古菌,真核生物;用密码对使用偏好性指标构建的系统发育树与基于密码对中二核苷酸频率的系统发育树基本一致。结果表明密码对中二核苷酸组分是密码对偏好的决定因素之一。     

大肠杆菌基因中密码对使用的规律

为了探讨基因组序列的非随机性对密码对使用的影响程度,揭示依赖上下文的密码对偏爱性(CDCB)可能存在的规律,本文主要对大肠杆菌基因组中密码子及其紧邻密码子(密码对)偏爱作了全面的统计分析。结果发现85%的密码子在其紧邻密码子位点有显著依赖上下文的密码对偏爱性,通过密码对与全序列六联体(三联体对)的相对丰度比较发现,大约35%的密码对偏好性不能用基因组的序列组分来解释。当密码子第二和第三位点核苷酸相同,且紧邻密码子相同时,它们的相对丰度有显著相关性。结果表明我们的数据支持依赖上下文的密码子偏好的主要原因是蛋白质合成精确性选择的假设,即本文结果揭示了依赖上下文的密码对偏好性可能存在的规律,从而为今后进一步研究大肠杆菌基因组中密码对使用偏好性提供参考。     

5''UTR中AUG的分布及其对翻译起始的影响

以细菌和古菌基因组5’UTR序列作为研究对象,分析在5’UTR的3个不同阅读框架中三联体AUG的分布,发现无论是细菌还是古菌基因组都在阅读框1中有非常明显的AUG缺失（depletion）。AUG的缺失表明在起始密码子上游的AUG很可能会对基因的翻译起始产生影响。分析得知：绝大部分的AUG都是以uORF（upstream open readingframe）的形式出现的,uAUG（upstreamAUG）的数量很少,特别是在阅读框1中,而且在细菌基因组的阅读框1中uAUG较多地出现在了含有SD序列的基因上游。比较发现,uAUG引导的序列在同义密码子使用上的偏好性较真正的编码序列差,这可能表明细菌和古菌在同义密码子使用上的偏好性也是决定基因准确地翻译起始的重要因素之一。     

5’UTR中AUG的分布及其对翻译起始的影响

以细菌和古菌基因组5′ UTR序列作为研究对象,分析在5′ UTR 的3个不同阅读框架中三联体AUG的分布,发现无论是细菌还是古菌基因组都在阅读框1中有非常明显的AUG缺失(depletion)。AUG的缺失表明在起始密码子上游的AUG很可能会对基因的翻译起始产生影响。分析得知：绝大部分的AUG都是以uORF(upstream open reading frame)的形式出现的,uAUG(upstream AUG)的数量很少,特别是在阅读框1中,而且在细菌基因组的阅读框1中uAUG较多地出现在了含有SD序列的基因上游。比较发现,uAUG引导的序列在同义密码子使用上的偏好性较真正的编码序列差,这可能表明细菌和古菌在同义密码子使用上的偏好性也是决定基因准确地翻译起始的重要因素之一。     

基因组中开阅读框架长度的分布模型与基因组进化

分析了5种真核、15种细菌和10种古菌基因组中开阅读框架(open reading flame,ORF)的数目随长度的分布,发现不同生物的分布相似且有明显的规律性。用各种分布模型进行拟合比较,结果显示每种生物的这类分布均符合Г（α,β）分布,由此提出生物基因组中ORF的数目随长度的分布是Г（α,β）分布的假设。分析各生物基因组的拟合参数,发现α和β值与基因组进化存在明显的相关性;讨论了α和β值的生物进化意义,并给出了真核生物偏好使用长基因的结论;依照Г（α,β）分布估计了酵母基因组中ORF数目的上限为5870个。该方法对于研究生物基因组进化以及评估理论预测基因的可靠性具有建设性意义。     

影响鼻疽伯克霍尔德氏菌基因组密码子用法的因素分析

鼻疽伯克霍尔德氏菌(Burkholderia mallei ATCC 23344)的基因组密码子使用受多种因素的影响,本研究根据该菌的完整基因组序列,运用多元统计分析和对应分析的方法,探讨了鼻疽伯克霍尔德氏菌全基因组序列密码子的使用模式和影响密码子使用的因素。结果表明基因表达水平的高低是影响密码子使用的主要因素;基因组中编码区的碱基组成、蛋白质的疏水性和基因的长度对密码子的使用也有一定的影响,但影响力不及基因的表达水平。同时,通过比较高表达的基因、低表达的基因密码子使用情况,GCG 和 CUC 等 21 个密码子被确定为鼻疽伯克霍尔德氏菌的主要偏爱密码子。以上结果对鼻疽伯克霍尔德氏菌的密码子用法研究、在分子水平上研究物种进化、基因组中未知基因的预测、开放阅读框的判断、功能基因的表达以及鼻疽病疫苗的研发等工作都提供了理论基础,具有较强的指导作用。     

嗜热泉生古细菌及其他泉古菌同义密码子使用偏向性分析

比较分析了嗜热泉生古细菌(Aeropyrum pernix K1)和其他两种系统发育相关的泉古菌[嗜气菌(Pyrobaculum aerophi-lumstr.IM2)和嗜硫菌(Sulfolobus acidocaldarius DSM 639)]的同义密码子使用偏向性。结果表明嗜热泉生古细菌(Aeropyrum pernix K1)的密码子偏向性很小,并且与GC3S成高度的相关性。这3种泉古菌的密码子使用模式在进化上很保守。与基因的功能对密码子使用的影响相比,这些泉古菌密码子的使用偏向性更是由其物种所决定的。嗜热泉生古细菌(A.pernix K1),嗜气菌(P.aerophilum str.IM2)和嗜硫菌(S.acidocaldarius DSM 639)生存在不同的极限环境中。推测正是这些极限环境决定了这些泉古菌的密码子使用偏向性模式。此外在这些泉古菌的基因组中并没有发现其正义链和反义链的密码子使用偏向性差别。嗜热泉生古细菌(A.pernix K1)和嗜硫菌(S.acidocaldarius DSM 639)的密码子偏向性程度与基因表达水平有高度的相关性,而嗜气菌(P.aerophilum str.IM2)的基因组并没有发现这种规律。     

Universal Pattern and Diverse Strengths of Successive Synonymous Codon Bias in Three Domains of Life, Particularly Among Prokaryotic Genomes

There has been significant progress in understanding the process of protein translation in recent years. One of the best examples is the discovery of usage bias in successive synonymous codons and its role in eukaryotic translation efficiency. We observed here a similar type of bias in the other two life domains, bacteria and archaea, although the bias strength was much smaller than in eukaryotes. Among 136 prokaryotic genomes, 98 were found to have significant bias from random use of successive synonymous codons with Z scores larger than three. Furthermore, significantly different bias strengths were found between prokaryotes grouped by various genomic or biochemical characteristics. Interestingly, the bias strength measured by a general Z score could be fitted well (R = 0.83, P < 10⁻¹⁵) by three genomic variables: genome size, G + C content, and tRNA gene number based on multiple linear regression. A different distribution of synonymous codon pairs between protein-coding genes and intergenic sequences suggests that bias is caused by translation selection. The present results indicate that protein translation is tuned by codon (pair) usage, and the intensity of the regulation is associated with genome size, tRNA gene number, and G + C content.     

A simple model based on mutation and selection explains trends in codon and amino-acid usage and GC composition within and across genomes

Background  

Correlations between genome composition (in terms of GC content) and usage of particular codons and amino acids have been widely reported, but poorly explained. We show here that a simple model of processes acting at the nucleotide level explains codon usage across a large sample of species (311 bacteria, 28 archaea and 257 eukaryotes). The model quantitatively predicts responses (slope and intercept of the regression line on genome GC content) of individual codons and amino acids to genome composition.     

A unique ATG triplet downstream of gene start in archaea: implications for translation initiation and evolution

Searching for unique features of archaeal genome may shed light on the mechanism of gene regulation in primitive life forms. Statistical analysis of ATG frequency on the complete genome sequences of 16 archaea, 20 bacteria and 2 eukaryotes revealed that most of the archaeal genomes have a remarkably high ATG frequency at the position of nine nucleotide (nt) downstream of the translation initiation site (the first nucleotide of the translation initiation codon is designated as 0). To understand the role of this unique ATG in archaea, we further analyzed the ATG-initiated genes and non-ATG-initiated genes separately, and the results indicated that only the non-ATG-initiated genes contribute to the high ATG frequency at position +9. This led us to speculate that the in-frame ATG at +9 may serve as a remedial initiation site for archaea in case of initiation failure at the regular site. In addition, it seems that this phenomenon does not result from the harsh environment that archaea are usually viable according to the fact that no considerably high ATG frequency at +9 was observed in all the four thermophilic bacteria that also live in harsh environment. We proposed that the high ATG frequency at position +9 might reflect the decreased efficiency of the translation initiation machinery in archaea. Since archaea evolve very slowly, this unique characteristic of high ATG frequency at position +9 may present the primitive state of the Universal Ancestor.     

tRNA properties help shape codon pair preferences in open reading frames

Translation elongation is an accurate and rapid process, dependent upon efficient juxtaposition of tRNAs in the ribosomal A- and P-sites. Here, we sought evidence of A- and P-site tRNA interaction by examining bias in codon pair choice within open reading frames from a range of genomes. Three distinct and marked effects were revealed once codon and dipeptide biases had been subtracted. First, in the majority of genomes, codon pair preference is primarily determined by a tetranucleotide combination of the third nucleotide of the P-site codon, and all 3 nt of the A-site codon. Second, pairs of rare codons are generally under-used in eukaryotes, but over-used in prokaryotes. Third, the analysis revealed a highly significant effect of tRNA-mediated selection on codon pairing in unicellular eukaryotes, Bacillus subtilis, and the gamma proteobacteria. This was evident because in these organisms, synonymous codons decoded in the A-site by the same tRNA exhibit significantly similar P-site pairing preferences. Codon pair preference is thus influenced by the identity of A-site tRNAs, in combination with the P-site codon third nucleotide. Multivariate analysis identified conserved nucleotide positions within A-site tRNA sequences that modulate codon pair preferences. Structural features that regulate tRNA geometry within the ribosome may govern genomic codon pair patterns, driving enhanced translational fidelity and/or rate.     

Organisms can essentially be classified according to two codon patterns

We recently classified 23 bacteria into two types based on their complete genomes; “S-type” as represented by Staphylococcus aureus and “E-type” as represented by Escherichia coli. Classification was characterized by concentrations of Arg, Ala or Lys in the amino acid composition calculated from the complete genome. Based on these previous classifications, not only prokaryotic but also eukaryotic genome structures were investigated by amino acid compositions and nucleotide contents. Organisms consisting of 112 bacteria, 15 archaea and 18 eukaryotes were classified into two major groups by cluster analysis using GC contents at the three codon positions calculated from complete genomes. The 145 organisms were classified into “AT-type” and “GC-type” represented by high A or T (low G or C) and high G or C (low A or T) contents, respectively, at every third codon position. Reciprocal changes between G or C and A or T contents at the third codon position occurred almost synchronously in every codon among the organisms. Correlations between amino acid concentrations (Ala, Ile and Lys) and the nucleotide contents at the codon position were obtained in both “AT-type” and “GC-type” organisms, but with different regression coefficients. In certain correlations of amino acid concentrations with GC contents, eukaryotes, archaea and bacteria showed different behaviors; thus these kingdoms evolved differently. All organisms are basically classifiable into two groups having characteristic codon patterns; organisms with low GC and high AT contents at the third codon position and their derivatives, and organisms with an inverse relationship.     

Synonymous Codon Usage Bias Dependent on Local Nucleotide Context in the Class Deinococci

To study the evolution of mutation biased synonymous codon usage, we examined nucleotide co-occurrence patterns in the Deinococcus radiodurans, D. geothermalis, and Thermus thermophilus genomes for nucleotide replacement dependent on the surrounding nucleotide context. Nucleotides on the third codon site were found to be strongly correlated with nucleotide sites at most six nucleotides away in all three species, where abundance patterns were dependent on whether two nucleotides share the same purine(R)/pyrimidine(Y) status. In the class Deinococci adjacent third site nucleotides were strongly correlated, where NNR|NNR and NNY|NNY codon pairs were overabundant while NNR|NNY and NNY|NNR codon pairs were underabundant. By far the largest deviations in all three species occur for NN(YR)|(YR)NN codon pairs. In the Thermus species, the NNY|YNN and NNR|RNN codon pairs were overabundant versus the underabundant NNY|RNN and NNR|YNN codon pairs, whereas in the Deinococcus species the opposite over-/underabundance relationship held for adjacent (GC) bases. We also observed a weaker overabundance of NNR|NRN and NNY|NYN codon pairs versus the underabundant NNR|NYN and NNY|NRN codon pairs. The perfect purine/pyrimidine symmetry of each of these cases, plus the lack of significant deviations for nucleotide pairs on other length scales up to 20 codons apart demonstrates that a pervasive pattern of nucleotide replacement dependent on local nucleotide context, and not codon bias, has occurred in these species. This nucleotide replacement has led to modified synonymous codon usage within the class Deinococci that affects which codons are positioned at particular codon sites dependent on the local nucleotide context.     

Codon evolution is governed by linear formulas

When nucleotide (G, C, T and A) contents were plotted against each nucleotide, their relationships were clearly expressed by a linear formula, y = αx + β in the coding and non-coding regions. This linear relationship was obtained from the complete single-stranded DNA. Similarly, nucleotide contents at all three codon positions were expressed by linear regression lines based on the content of each nucleotide. In addition, 64 codon usages were also expressed by linear formulas against nucleotide content. Thus, the nucleotide content not only in coding sequence but also in non-coding sequence can be expressed by a linear formula, y = αx + β, in 145 organisms (112 bacteria, 15 archaea and 18 eukaryotes). Based on these results, the ratio of C/T, G/T, C/A or G/A one can essentially estimate all four nucleotide contents in the complete single-stranded DNA, and the determination of any ratio of two kinds of nucleotides can essentially estimate four nucleotide contents, nucleotide contents at the three different codon positions and codon distributions at 64 codons in the coding region. The maximum and minimum values of G content were ∼0.35 and ∼0.15, respectively, among various organisms examined. Codon evolution occurs according to linear formulas between these two values. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

原核生物eno基因在系统进化中应用及水平转移分析

多基因系统发育研究方法是系统发育分析中的一个重要手段,基因树冲突已成为分子系统发育研究中日益突出的问题。烯醇化酶基因(eno)及其编码的蛋白广泛存在于五界系统中,烯醇化酶为糖酵解途径中重要酶类。文章选取原核生物已注释的eno基因序列进行了系统发育分析。对其中的138个模式菌株的eno基因序列进行系统发育分析和同源性搜索,发现19个模式菌株的eno基因是通过水平转移而来;并通过核苷酸组成、密码子偏好性和基因排列等基因特征分析,进一步验证了水平转移基因的外源性。结果表明:原核生物eno序列具有较高保守性,其大小适中,是研究原核生物系统发育的良好材料。文章在对基因水平转移的供体和受体菌株生活习性、进化历史以及烯醇化酶的结构和功能的研究过程中提供重要参考价值。