嗜热毛壳菌基因组密码子偏好性研究

嗜热毛壳菌具有强大的木质纤维素降解能力,将其开发为优异的重组蛋白表达宿主有着广阔的应用前景。蛋白表达宿主的密码子偏好性对重组蛋白的表达水平具有重大影响。为确定嗜热毛壳菌中密码子的使用模式及影响因素,本研究以6 897条CDS序列为对象,对其进行密码子偏好性分析。结果显示,嗜热毛壳菌中GC3的平均含量为66.2%,高于GC1(59.1%)和GC2(45.6%)的平均含量。Effective number of codon(ENC)分析与中性绘图分析结果显示,自然选择是影响嗜热毛壳菌密码子偏好性的主要因素。相关性分析结果显示,芳香族氨基酸比例与GC1含量及蛋白疏水水平呈极显著相关,说明密码子第一位的碱基组成对氨基酸是否具有芳香性影响较大。此外,在嗜热毛壳菌使用频率较高的密码子中,有24个以G/C末端结尾的密码子,进一步确定了23个高表达优越密码子和1个高表达最优密码子(CGC)。通过与其他模式真菌的密码子偏好性进行比较发现：与嗜热毛壳菌在密码子使用频率上差异较小的为嗜热毁丝菌、粗糙脉孢霉,有显著差异的为酿酒酵母。本研究为在嗜热毛壳菌中异源表达重组蛋白提供了目标基因密码子优化的理论依据,为嗜...     

同义密码子通过精微翻译选择机制实现对基因的表达调控

自然界中,同义密码子的存在使得众多氨基酸能够同时被多种密码子编码合成。随着研究的深入,同义密码子使用偏嗜性发挥出的生物学功能已经渗透到了基因复制、转录、翻译以及化学修饰等生命活动过程中。基于同义密码子使用偏嗜性的生物学特性,陆续发现密码子对(codon pair)和密码子共现(codon co-occurrence)同样在使用模式上存在明显的偏嗜性。在基因表达的过程中,针对编码序列的密码子优化能够显著提升基因的表达水平,这在生物工程领域对于蛋白表达有着重要的生物学意义。此外,同义密码子使用模式在调控基因转录、化学修饰以及翻译过程中间接控制着细胞内生命活动的有序性。而这些与同义密码子使用模式有着千丝万缕联系的生命过程主要是受精微翻译选择压力来调控运行的。本文中,我们结合当前同义密码子使用模式介导的精微翻译选择压力,简述密码子使用模式如何从转录、化学修饰以及翻译等方面来影响基因表达及蛋白产物生物学功能。这将为今后生物工程学领域如何优化蛋白高效表达以及深入研究重要生物学活动中基因表达调控提供可参考的思路与理念。     

改善大肠杆菌胞内氨基酰tRNA池提高外源基因表达水平

大肠杆菌是研究和高效表达异源蛋白的常用宿主细胞。由于大肠杆菌和真核生物及大部分古细菌在同义密码子上的使用有很大的差异,来源于真核或古细菌的外源基因在大肠杆菌中表达时,常常由于其带有稀有密码子而带来翻译方面的问题,如产生移码突变和表达量下降等,从而改变异源蛋白的表达质量和表达水平。在研究常见嗜热菌tRNA结构和组成的基础上,以古细菌α淀粉酶基因为例,采用增加有argU、ileY和leuWtRNA基因的大肠杆菌DE3为表达宿主,改善了胞内氨基酰tRNA池的大肠杆菌表达异源蛋白,表达量提高约9倍。     

基因设计对重组蛋白表达的影响研究进展

利用异源表达系统生产重组蛋白已成为现代基因工程和生物工程研究热点和重点。但是研究者发现并非所有的基因都能在异源宿主中高效表达,除了宿主、分泌途径、启动子等因素外,基因自身的序列也蕴含了多种影响蛋白表达的因素,如密码子偏爱性,密码子对偏爱性,GC含量,mRNA二级结构,mRNA稳定性等。从基因设计的角度对影响蛋白表达的因素和方法进行了综述,尤其是对密码子优化和密码子对优化,详细讨论了与传统基因优化理念截然不同的密码子协调化及密码子对协调化等最新进展。     

小红门兰属2种药用植物叶绿体基因组密码子偏好性分析

目的：明确2种兰科小红门兰属植物叶绿体基因组中密码子的使用偏好性,并探索其影响因素。方法：采用CodonW、CUSP、SPSS等软件,对2种兰科小红门兰属药用植物叶绿体基因组中的密码子进行选择分析。结果：通过对2种小红门兰属药用植物分析,发现2个物种叶绿体基因组密码子中的GC含量为35.8%～37.3%,有效密码子数目为47.10%～47.79%,表明其密码子偏好性较弱。中性绘图、ENC-plot、PR2-plot等研究结果显示,选择和突变是影响2种小红门兰属药用植物叶绿体基因组密码子使用偏好性的主要因素。通过比较相对同义密码子使用度RSCU值和ENC值,获得了65个最优密码子。2种小红门兰属药用植物密码子偏好使用A/T结尾,表明其密码子使用偏好性在很大程度上是由自然选择决定的。对其叶绿体基因组密码子的使用偏好性进行分析,并通过外类群聚类法进行验证,最终确定影响小红门兰属植物基因组密码子偏好的关键因子有9种：GUU、UCA、CCA、ACA、UAA、GAU、UGU、AGA、AGG。结论：本研究可为小红门兰属植物叶绿体基因组异源蛋白表达载体的构建与优化提供理论依据。     

甜瓜蔗糖转化酶基因的密码子偏好性分析

以甜瓜蔗糖转化酶基因序列为材料,研究甜瓜蔗糖转化酶基因密码子偏好性,为改良甜瓜风味与品质提供理论依据。运用在线分析软件Codon W对甜瓜蔗糖转化酶的编码序列(Coding sequence,CDS)进行密码子分析,利用Mobyle在线工具分析同义密码子相对使用度(RSCU)、有效密码子数(ENC)、GC及GC1s、GC2s、GC3s含量。甜瓜蔗糖转化酶基因偏好于以A或T结尾的密码子。密码子ATT、GTT和AGA的RSCU值都大于1,属于共同偏好使用的密码子,而密码子GCG、CGG的RSCU值小于1,属于使用频率较低的密码子。发现密码子偏好性与亲缘关系的远近有一定的关系。要实现目的基因在外源表达系统中的成功表达和提高其表达量,可通过增加目的基因剂量,目的基因密码子优化,改善培养条件等方法实现,其中目的基因密码子优化起到了关键作用。     

金针菇高表达基因的密码子偏好性及特征分析

为探究金针菇的密码子偏好性,挖掘高表达基因的特征信息,以金针菇基因组及转录组数据为材料,分析金针菇的密码子偏好性及其影响因素,并对发育阶段高表达基因进行功能注释和顺式元件分析。分析表明,金针菇高表达基因表现出较强的密码子偏好性,且其偏好密码子多以胞嘧啶(C)结尾,此外在高表达基因中存在6种氨基酸的最优密码子较为保守。在进化过程中,金针菇高表达基因密码子偏好性受到自然选择压力的影响较大。功能注释分类表明,高表达基因多为核糖体通路相关的基因,与蛋白质翻译和生物合成相关。顺式元件分析表明,高表达基因启动子区域大多存在MeJA响应元件、ABA响应元件、光响应元件及MYB转录因子结合元件。研究结果可为提高金针菇异源表达效率和挖掘强启动子提供理论基础和思路。     

甘蔗属种及其近缘属种蔗茅的全基因组密码子偏好性分析

【目的】为解析甘蔗基因组的密码子使用特征,提高异源基因在甘蔗中的表达效率。【方法】以已发布的甘蔗属种（热带种LA-purple、割手密NP-X和AP85-441）及其近缘属种蔗茅（Yunnan2009-3）基因组为数据,利用Python、CodonW1.4.2进行密码子偏好性分析,同时通过中性绘图、ENC-plot、PR2-plot等分析探讨密码子偏好性形成的影响因素,并结合转录组测序数据分析密码子偏好性参数与基因表达水平的相关性。最后,基于RSCU均值与7个主要模式生物种（玉米、高粱、水稻、拟南芥、烟草、大肠杆菌、酿酒酵母）的密码子使用模式进行比较分析。【结果】显示热带种、割手密和蔗茅的基因组都富含GC,平均GC含量为56.3%,且GC3>GC1>GC2,倾向于使用以G/C结尾的密码子,平均ENC值为48.45,偏好性较低。中性绘图、ENC-plot和PR2-plot分析表明它们的密码子偏好性受到自然选择、突变压力等多种因素的共同影响,其中自然选择占主导作用。相关性分析表明密码子偏好性参数与基因实际的转录表达水平存在显著相关性,但相关性不强。根据RSCU和?RSCU值,确...     

膜蛋白原核表达的基因序列优化北大核心CSCD

膜蛋白的结构与功能研究是当前的热点之一。目前获取膜蛋白的最主要途径是通过原核系统进行表达。但是膜蛋白在原核系统中表达水平相对较低,通过对基因序列进行优化促使膜蛋白正确高效表达是一项非常重要的技术手段。归纳了近些年来膜蛋白原核表达技术在基因序列优化研究上的最新进展,并从稀有密码子的优化、m RNA的稳定性与翻译起始、m RNA与核糖体行为、翻译的效率与膜蛋白的折叠4个方面对基因序列上影响膜蛋白表达的因素进行了总结,旨在为膜蛋白的原核表达提供一定的思路和参考。     

草菇密码子偏好性分析

以草菇全基因组编码序列为研究对象,利用软件CodonW1.4.2分析草菇基因组密码子使用模式,确定了草菇的24个最优密码子。利用Create a condon usage table(CUSP)程序分析计算草菇密码子使用频率,并将它与人、酵母、拟南芥、小鼠、斑马鱼、果蝇6个代表性物种及灰盖鬼伞、双孢蘑菇、香菇、平菇4个食用菌进行比较。结果显示草菇密码子偏好性与人、酵母、拟南芥、小鼠、斑马鱼、果蝇和平菇都有较大的差异,与灰盖鬼伞、双孢蘑菇、香菇的密码子偏好性差异较小。利用软件SPSS16.0聚类分析表明密码子偏好性差异大小在一定程度上反映物种间的进化关系,可作为研究物种进化关系的参考。首次以食用菌全基因组为分析对象,解析草菇的密码子偏好性,并将其与其他生物进行比较,这些将为不同来源的外源基因在草菇中的异源表达提供重要参考。     

Synonymous codon usage in Thermosynechococcus elongatus (cyanobacteria) identifies the factors shaping codon usage variation

Analysis of synonymous codon usage pattern in the genome of a thermophilic cyanobacterium, Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1 using multivariate statistical analysis revealed a single major explanatory axis accounting for codon usage variation in the organism. This axis is correlated with the GC content at third base of synonymous codons (GC3s) in correspondence analysis taking T. elongatus genes. A negative correlation was observed between effective number of codons i.e. Nc and GC3s. Results suggested a mutational bias as the major factor in shaping codon usage in this cyanobacterium. In comparison to the lowly expressed genes, highly expressed genes of this organism possess significantly higher proportion of pyrimidine-ending codons suggesting that besides, mutational bias, translational selection also influenced codon usage variation in T. elongatus. Correspondence analysis of relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) with A, T, G, C at third positions (A3s, T3s, G3s, C3s, respectively) also supported this fact and expression levels of genes and gene length also influenced codon usage. A role of translational accuracy was identified in dictating the codon usage variation of this genome. Results indicated that although mutational bias is the major factor in shaping codon usage in T. elongatus, factors like translational selection, translational accuracy and gene expression level also influenced codon usage variation.     

Codon usage bias: causative factors,quantification methods and genome‐wide patterns: with emphasis on insect genomes

Codon usage bias refers to the phenomenon where specific codons are used more often than other synonymous codons during translation of genes, the extent of which varies within and among species. Molecular evolutionary investigations suggest that codon bias is manifested as a result of balance between mutational and translational selection of such genes and that this phenomenon is widespread across species and may contribute to genome evolution in a significant manner. With the advent of whole‐genome sequencing of numerous species, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, genome‐wide patterns of codon bias are emerging in different organisms. Various factors such as expression level, GC content, recombination rates, RNA stability, codon position, gene length and others (including environmental stress and population size) can influence codon usage bias within and among species. Moreover, there has been a continuous quest towards developing new concepts and tools to measure the extent of codon usage bias of genes. In this review, we outline the fundamental concepts of evolution of the genetic code, discuss various factors that may influence biased usage of synonymous codons and then outline different principles and methods of measurement of codon usage bias. Finally, we discuss selected studies performed using whole‐genome sequences of different insect species to show how codon bias patterns vary within and among genomes. We conclude with generalized remarks on specific emerging aspects of codon bias studies and highlight the recent explosion of genome‐sequencing efforts on arthropods (such as twelve Drosophila species, species of ants, honeybee, Nasonia and Anopheles mosquitoes as well as the recent launch of a genome‐sequencing project involving 5000 insects and other arthropods) that may help us to understand better the evolution of codon bias and its biological significance.     

New insights into the interplay between codon bias determinants in plants

Codon bias is the non-random use of synonymous codons, a phenomenon that has been observed in species as diverse as bacteria, plants and mammals. The preferential use of particular synonymous codons may reflect neutral mechanisms (e.g. mutational bias, G|C-biased gene conversion, genetic drift) and/or selection for mRNA stability, translational efficiency and accuracy. The extent to which these different factors influence codon usage is unknown, so we dissected the contribution of mutational bias and selection towards codon bias in genes from 15 eudicots, 4 monocots and 2 mosses. We analysed the frequency of mononucleotides, dinucleotides and trinucleotides and investigated whether the compositional genomic background could account for the observed codon usage profiles. Neutral forces such as mutational pressure and G|C-biased gene conversion appeared to underlie most of the observed codon bias, although there was also evidence for the selection of optimal translational efficiency and mRNA folding. Our data confirmed the compositional differences between monocots and dicots, with the former featuring in general a lower background compositional bias but a higher overall codon bias.     

双孢蘑菇基因组密码子的偏好性分析

双孢蘑菇Agaricus bisporus是世界上最广泛栽培的食用菌之一.本研究通过分析双孢蘑菇基因组密码子使用偏性,探讨密码子偏性的影响因素及其对基因表达的影响.以双孢蘑菇基因组和转录组数据为依据,分析了双孢蘑菇基因组基因、高表达基因(high expression gene,HEG)和低表达基因(low expre...     

Factors influencing the synonymous codon and amino acid usage bias in AT-rich Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage PhiKZ

To reveal how the AT-rich genome of bacteriophage PhiKZ has been shaped in order to carryout its growth in the GC-rich host Pseudomonas aeruginosa,synonymous codon and amino acid usage bias ofPhiKZ was investigated and the data were compared with that of P.aeruginosa.It was found that synonymouscodon and amino acid usage of PhiKZ was distinct from that of P.aeruginosa.In contrast to P.aeruginosa,the third codon position of the synonymous codons of PhiKZ carries mostly A or T base;codon usage biasin PhiKZ is dictated mainly by mutational bias and,to a lesser extent,by translational selection.A clusteranalysis of the relative synonymous codon usage values of 16 myoviruses including PhiKZ shows that PhiKZis evolutionary much closer to Escherickia coli phage T4.Further analysis reveals that the three factors ofmean molecular weight,aromaticity and cysteine content are mostly responsible for the variation of aminoacid usage in PhiKZ proteins,whereas amino acid usage of P.aeruginosa proteins is mainly governed bygrand average of hydropathicity,aromaticity and cysteine content.Based on these observations,we suggestthat codons of the phage-like PhiKZ have evolved to preferentially incorporate the smaller amino acid residuesinto their proteins during translation,thereby economizing the cost of its development in GC-rich P.aeruginosa.     

葡萄基因组密码子使用偏好模式研究

根据完整基因组序列,运用多元统计分析和对应分析的方法,探讨了葡萄全基因组序列密码子的使用模式和影响密码子使用的各种可能因素。结果显示:葡萄密码子偏好性主要受到碱基差异(r=0.925)和自然选择(r=0.193)共同作用的影响,突变压力占了主导因素,自然选择的作用较小。同时基因长度和蛋白质疏水性也对密码子的偏好性有所影响。确定了葡萄的20个最优密码子。     

Patterns of codon usage in two ciliates that reassign the genetic code: Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia

We used the recently sequenced genomes of the ciliates Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia to analyze the codon usage patterns in both organisms; we have analyzed codon usage bias, Gln codon usage, GC content and the nucleotide contexts of initiation and termination codons in Tetrahymena and Paramecium. We also studied how these trends change along the length of the genes and in a subset of highly expressed genes. Our results corroborate some of the trends previously described in Tetrahymena, but also negate some specific observations. In both genomes we found a strong bias toward codons with low GC content; however, in highly expressed genes this bias is smaller and codons ending in GC tend to be more frequent. We also found that codon bias increases along gene segments and in highly expressed genes and that the context surrounding initiation and termination codons are always AT rich. Our results also suggest differences in the efficiency of translation of the reassigned stop codons between the two species and between the reassigned codons. Finally, we discuss some of the possible causes for such translational efficiency differences.     

Mutation-selection models of codon substitution and their use to estimate selective strengths on codon usage

Current models of codon substitution are formulated at the levels of nucleotide substitution and do not explicitly consider the separate effects of mutation and selection. They are thus incapable of inferring whether mutation or selection is responsible for evolution at silent sites. Here we implement a few population genetics models of codon substitution that explicitly consider mutation bias and natural selection at the DNA level. Selection on codon usage is modeled by introducing codon-fitness parameters, which together with mutation-bias parameters, predict optimal codon frequencies for the gene. The selective pressure may be for translational efficiency and accuracy or for fine-tuning translational kinetics to produce correct protein folding. We apply the models to compare mitochondrial and nuclear genes from several mammalian species. Model assumptions concerning codon usage are found to affect the estimation of sequence distances (such as the synonymous rate d(S), the nonsynonymous rate d(N), and the rate at the 4-fold degenerate sites d(4)), as found in previous studies, but the new models produced very similar estimates to some old ones. We also develop a likelihood ratio test to examine the null hypothesis that codon usage is due to mutation bias alone, not influenced by natural selection. Application of the test to the mammalian data led to rejection of the null hypothesis in most genes, suggesting that natural selection may be a driving force in the evolution of synonymous codon usage in mammals. Estimates of selection coefficients nevertheless suggest that selection on codon usage is weak and most mutations are nearly neutral. The sensitivity of the analysis on the assumed mutation model is discussed.