Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In prokaryote genomes most of the co-directional genes are in close proximity. Even the coding sequence or the stop codon of a gene can overlap with the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence of the downstream co-directional gene. In this pape...

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Main Authors: Romeu Antoni, García-Vallvé Santiago, Pallejà Albert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009-11-01
Series:BMC Genomics
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/537
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author Romeu Antoni
García-Vallvé Santiago
Pallejà Albert
author_facet Romeu Antoni
García-Vallvé Santiago
Pallejà Albert
author_sort Romeu Antoni
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In prokaryote genomes most of the co-directional genes are in close proximity. Even the coding sequence or the stop codon of a gene can overlap with the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence of the downstream co-directional gene. In this paper we analyze how the presence of SD may influence the stop codon usage or the spacing lengths between co-directional genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The SD sequences for 530 prokaryote genomes have been predicted using computer calculations of the base-pairing free energy between translation initiation regions and the 16S rRNA 3' tail. Genomes with a large number of genes with the SD sequence concentrate this regulatory motif from 4 to 11 bps before the start codon. However, not all genes seem to have the SD sequence. Genes separated from 1 to 4 bps from a co-directional upstream gene show a high SD presence, though this regulatory signal is located towards the 3' end of the coding sequence of the upstream gene. Genes separated from 9 to 15 bps show the highest SD presence as they accommodate the SD sequence within an intergenic region. However, genes separated from around 5 to 8 bps have a lower percentage of SD presence and when the SD is present, the stop codon usage of the upstream gene changes to accommodate the overlap between the SD sequence and the stop codon.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The SD presence makes the intergenic lengths from 5 to 8 bps less frequent and causes an adaptation of the stop codon usage. Our results introduce new elements to the discussion of which factors affect the intergenic lengths, which cannot be totally explained by the pressure to compact the prokaryote genomes.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-e185bb34f3c0486a8a55fee0857832be2022-12-21T21:05:20ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642009-11-0110153710.1186/1471-2164-10-537Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomesRomeu AntoniGarcía-Vallvé SantiagoPallejà Albert<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In prokaryote genomes most of the co-directional genes are in close proximity. Even the coding sequence or the stop codon of a gene can overlap with the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence of the downstream co-directional gene. In this paper we analyze how the presence of SD may influence the stop codon usage or the spacing lengths between co-directional genes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The SD sequences for 530 prokaryote genomes have been predicted using computer calculations of the base-pairing free energy between translation initiation regions and the 16S rRNA 3' tail. Genomes with a large number of genes with the SD sequence concentrate this regulatory motif from 4 to 11 bps before the start codon. However, not all genes seem to have the SD sequence. Genes separated from 1 to 4 bps from a co-directional upstream gene show a high SD presence, though this regulatory signal is located towards the 3' end of the coding sequence of the upstream gene. Genes separated from 9 to 15 bps show the highest SD presence as they accommodate the SD sequence within an intergenic region. However, genes separated from around 5 to 8 bps have a lower percentage of SD presence and when the SD is present, the stop codon usage of the upstream gene changes to accommodate the overlap between the SD sequence and the stop codon.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The SD presence makes the intergenic lengths from 5 to 8 bps less frequent and causes an adaptation of the stop codon usage. Our results introduce new elements to the discussion of which factors affect the intergenic lengths, which cannot be totally explained by the pressure to compact the prokaryote genomes.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/537
spellingShingle Romeu Antoni
García-Vallvé Santiago
Pallejà Albert
Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes
BMC Genomics
title Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes
title_full Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes
title_fullStr Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes
title_full_unstemmed Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes
title_short Adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co-directional genes to the Shine-Dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes
title_sort adaptation of the short intergenic spacers between co directional genes to the shine dalgarno motif among prokaryote genomes
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/537
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AT garciavallvesantiago adaptationoftheshortintergenicspacersbetweencodirectionalgenestotheshinedalgarnomotifamongprokaryotegenomes
AT pallejaalbert adaptationoftheshortintergenicspacersbetweencodirectionalgenestotheshinedalgarnomotifamongprokaryotegenomes