Cited by 90RNA and protein synthesis mechanismsRNA Research and SplicingRNA modifications and cancer

Deciphering the rules by which dynamics of mRNA secondary structure affect translation efficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Mao, Yuanhui, Liu, HuiLing, Liu, Yanlin, Tao, Shiheng·2014·Nucleic Acids Research

Abstract

Messenger RNA (mRNA) secondary structure decreases the elongation rate, as ribosomes must unwind every structure they encounter during translation. Therefore, the strength of mRNA secondary structure is assumed to be reduced in highly translated mRNAs. However, previous studies in vitro reported a positive correlation between mRNA folding strength and protein abundance. The counterintuitive finding suggests that mRNA secondary structure affects translation efficiency in an undetermined manner. Here, we analyzed the folding behavior of mRNA during translation and its effect on translation efficiency. We simulated translation process based on a novel computational model, taking into account the interactions among ribosomes, codon usage and mRNA secondary structures. We showed that mRNA secondary structure shortens ribosomal distance through the dynamics of folding strength. Notably, when adjacent ribosomes are close, mRNA secondary structures between them disappear, and codon usage determines the elongation rate. More importantly, our results showed that the combined effect of mRNA secondary structure and codon usage in highly translated mRNAs causes a short ribosomal distance in structural regions, which in turn eliminates the structures during translation, leading to a high elongation rate. Together, these findings reveal how the dynamics of mRNA secondary structure coupling with codon usage affect translation efficiency.

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  • Codon optimization in the mRNA sequence, for example to match host tRNA abundances or as a determinant of secondary structures, can drastically impact protein synthesis rate and ribosome dwell time.

    “Codon optimization in the mRNA sequence to e.g., match host transfer (t)RNA abundances, or as a determinant of introducing secondary structures, can drastically impact the protein synthesis rate and ribosome dwell time (i.e. mRNA functional half-life) [33,34]”

    From The dawn of mRNA vaccines: the COVID-19 case (2021) · cites this paper as [34]

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Authors
Mao, Y., Liu, H., Liu, Y., & Tao, S.
Affiliations
Northwest A&F University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Liu, Yanlin
  • Tao, Shiheng
Venue
Nucleic Acids Research
Published
2014-02-21
Volume
42
Issue
8
Pages
4813-4822
ISSN
  • 0305-1048 (ISSN-L)
  • 1362-4962
OpenAlex
W2167858459
Cited by
90
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5
FWCI
3.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nucleic Acids Research (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Research and Splicing
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA modifications and cancer
Keywords
mRNA secondary structure, translation efficiency, codon usage, ribosome dynamics, elongation rate, mRNA folding, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, protein abundance
MeSH terms
Codon, Nucleic Acid Conformation, Ribosomes, RNA, Messenger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Protein Biosynthesis, RNA Folding

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