Do anticodons of misacylated tRNAs preferentially mismatch codons coding for the misloaded amino acid?

Natural pyrrolysine-biased translation of stop codons in mitochondrial peptides entirely coded by expanded codons

During the noncanonical deletion transcription, k nucleotides are systematically skipped/deleted after each transcribed trinucleotide producing deletion-RNAs (delRNAs). Peptides matching delRNAs either result from (a) canonical translation of delRNAs; or (b) noncanonical translation of regular transcripts along expanded codons. Only along frame "0" (start site) (a) and (b) produce identical peptides. Here, mitochondrial mass spectrometry data analyses assume expanded codon/del-transcription with 3 + k (k from 0 to 12) nucleotides. Detected peptides map preferentially on previously identified delRNAs. More peptides were detected for k (1-12) when del-transcriptional and expanded codon translations start sites coincide (i.e. the 0^th frame) than for frames +1 or +2. Hence, both (a) and (b) produced peptides identified here. Biases for frame 0 decrease for k > 2, reflecting codon/anticodon expansion limits. Further analyses find preferential pyrrolysine insertion at stop codons, suggesting Pyl-specific mitochondrial suppressor tRNAs loaded by Pyl-specific tRNA synthetases with unknown origins. Pyl biases at stops are stronger for regular than expanded codons suggesting that Pyl-tRNAs are less competitive with near-cognate tRNAs in expanded codon contexts. Statistical biases for these findings exclude that detected peptides are experimental and/or bioinformatic artefacts implying both del-transcription and expanded codons translation occur in human mitochondria.

Theoretical minimal RNA rings mimick molecular evolution before tRNA-mediated translation: codon-amino acid affinities increase from early to late RNA rings

Nucleotide affinities for noncovalent interactions with amino acids produce associations between mRNAs and cognate peptides, potentially regulating ribosomal translation. Correlations between nucleotide affinities and residue hydrophobicity are explored for 25 theoretical minimal RNA rings, 22 nucleotide-long RNAs designed in silico to code for each amino acid once after three translation rounds, and forming stem-loop hairpins. This design presumably mimicks life's first RNAs. RNA rings resemble consensual tRNAs, suggesting proto-tRNA function, predicted anticodon and cognate amino acid. The 25 RNA rings and their presumed evolutionary order, deduced from the genetic code integration order of the amino acid cognate to their predicted anticodon, produces noteworthy associations with several ancient properties of the cell's translational machinery. Here we use this system to explore the evolution of codon affinity-residue hydrophobicity correlations, assuming these reflect pre-tRNA and pre-ribosomal translations. This hypothesis expects that correlations decrease with genetic code inclusion orders of RNA ring cognates. RNA ring associations between nucleotide affinities and residue hydrophobicities resemble those from modern natural genes/proteins. Association strengths decrease with genetic code inclusion ranks of proto-tRNA cognate amino acids. In silico design of minimal RNA rings didn't account for affinities between RNA and peptides coded by these RNAs. Yet, interactions between RNA rings and translated cognate peptides resemble modern natural genes. This property is strongest for ancient RNA rings, weakest for recent RNA rings, spanning a period during which modern tRNA- and ribosome-based translation presumably evolved. Results indicate that translation lacking tRNA-like adaptors based on codon-amino acid affinities and the genetic code pre-existed tRNA-mediated translation. Theoretical minimal RNA rings appear valid prebiotic peptide-RNA world models for the transition between pre-tRNA- and tRNA-mediated translations.

Genetic changes and host adaptability in sugarcane mosaic virus based on complete genome sequences

Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), a member of the genus Potyvirus in the family Potyviridae, is an important pathogen that causes mosaic diseases in maize, sugarcane, canna and other graminaceous species worldwide. Previously, several reports have showed the genetic variation and population structure of SCMV. However, the evolutionary dynamics, synonymous codon usage pattern and adaptive evolution of the virus is unclear. In this study, we performed comprehensive analyses of phylodynamics, composition bias and codon usage of SCMV using 108 complete genomic sequences. Our phylogenetic analysis found six host- and geographically confined phylogenetic lineages within the SCMV non-recombinant isolates. We found a relatively stable and conserved genomic composition with a lower codon usage choice in the SCMV protein coding sequences. Mutation pressure and natural selection have shaped the codon usage patterns of the SCMV protein coding sequences with natural selection being the dominant factor. The codon adaptation index (CAI), relative codon deoptimization index (RCDI) and similarity index (SiD) analyses revealed a stronger correlation between SCMV and maize than between SCMV and sugarcane or canna. Our study is the first to evaluate the codon usage pattern of SCMV based on complete sequences and may provide a better understanding of the origin of SCMV and its evolutionary patterns for future research.

First arrived, first served: competition between codons for codon-amino acid stereochemical interactions determined early genetic code assignments

Stereochemical nucleotide-amino acid interactions, in the form of noncovalent nucleotide-amino acid interactions, potentially produced the genetic code's codon-amino acid assignments. Empirical estimates of single nucleotide-amino acid affinities on surfaces and in solution are used to test whether trinucleotide-amino acid affinities determined genetic code assignments pending the principle "first arrived, first served": presumed early amino acids have greater codon-amino acid affinities than ulterior ones. Here, these single nucleotide affinities are used to approximate all 64 × 20 trinucleotide-amino acid affinities. Analyses show that (1) on surfaces, genetic code codon-amino acid assignments tend to match high affinities for the amino acids that integrated earliest the genetic code (according to Wong's metabolic coevolution hypothesis between nucleotides and amino acids) and (2) in solution, the same principle holds for the anticodon-amino acid assignments. Affinity analyses match best genetic code assignments when assuming that trinucleotides competed for amino acids, rather than amino acids for trinucleotides. Codon-amino acid affinities stick better to genetic code assignments than anticodon-amino acid affinities. Presumably, two independent coding systems, on surfaces and in solution, converged, and formed the current translation system. Proto-translation on surfaces by direct codon-amino acid interactions without tRNA-like adaptors coadapted with a system emerging in solution by proto-tRNA anticodon-amino acid interactions. These systems assigned identical or similar cognates to codons on surfaces and to anticodons in solution. Results indicate that a prebiotic metabolism predated genetic code self-organization.

Deamination gradients within codons after 1<->2 position swap predict amino acid hydrophobicity and parallel β-sheet conformational preference

Deaminations C->T and A->G are frequent mutations producing nucleotide content gradients across genomes proportional to singlestrandedness during replication/transcription. Hence, within single codons, deamination risks increase from first to third codon positions, while second codon positions are functionally most crucial. Here genetic codes are analyzed assuming that after anticodons protected codons from deaminations, first and second codon positions swapped (N2N1N3->N1N2N3), with lowest deamination risks for N2 in presumed primitive N2N1N3 codons. N2N1N3, not standard N1N2N3, codon structure minimizes deaminations inversely proportionally to cognate amino acid hydrophobicity and parallel betasheet conformational preference. For N1N2N3, deamination minimization increases with genetic code integration order of cognate amino acids: during the presumed N2N1N3->N1N2N3 codon structure transition, protein synthesis combined direct codon-amino acid interactions for late amino acids and tRNA-based translation for early amino acids. Hence N2N1N3 codons would correspond to tRNA-free translation by spontaneous codon-amino acid affinities, and tRNA-mediated translation presumably caused N2N1N3->N1N2N3 swaps. Results show that rational, not arbitrary rules link codon and amino acid structures. Some analyses detect mitochondrial RNAs and peptides in public data corresponding to systematic position swaps, suggesting occasional swapping polymerase activity.

Chimeric Translation for Mitochondrial Peptides: Regular and Expanded Codons

Frameshifting protein translation occasionally results from insertion of amino acids at isolated mono- or dinucleotide-expanded codons by tRNAs with expanded anticodons. Previous analyses of two different types of human mitochondrial MS proteomic data (Fisher and Waters technologies) detect peptides entirely corresponding to expanded codon translation. Here, these proteomic data are reanalyzed searching for peptides consisting of at least eight consecutive amino acids translated according to regular tricodons, and at least eight adjacent consecutive amino acids translated according to expanded codons. Both datasets include chimerically translated peptides (mono- and dinucleotide expansions, 42 and 37, respectively). The regular tricodon-encoded part of some chimeric peptides corresponds to standard human mitochondrial proteins (mono- and dinucleotide expansions, six (AT6, CytB, ND1, 2xND2, ND5) and one (ND1), respectively). Chimeric translation probably increases the diversity of mitogenome-encoded proteins, putatively producing functional proteins. These might result from translation by tRNAs with expanded anticodons, or from regular tricodon translation of RNAs where transcription/posttranscriptional edition systematically deleted mono- or dinucleotides after each trinucleotide. The pairwise matched combination of adjacent peptide parts translated from regular and expanded codons strengthens the hypothesis that translation of stretches of consecutive expanded codons occurs. Results indicate statistical translation producing distributions of alternative proteins. Genetic engineering should account for potential unexpected, unwanted secondary products.

Analysis of Synonymous Codon Usage Bias in Potato Virus M and Its Adaption to Hosts

Potato virus M (PVM) is a member of the genus Carlavirus of the family Betaflexviridae and causes large economic losses of nightshade crops. Several previous studies have elucidated the population structure, evolutionary timescale and adaptive evolution of PVM. However, the synonymous codon usage pattern of PVM remains unclear. In this study, we performed comprehensive analyses of the codon usage and composition of PVM based on 152 nucleotide sequences of the coat protein (CP) gene and 125 sequences of the cysteine-rich nucleic acid binding protein (NABP) gene. We observed that the PVM CP and NABP coding sequences were GC-and AU-rich, respectively, whereas U- and G-ending codons were preferred in the PVM CP and NABP coding sequences. The lower codon usage of the PVM CP and NABP coding sequences indicated a relatively stable and conserved genomic composition. Natural selection and mutation pressure shaped the codon usage patterns of PVM, with natural selection being the most important factor. The codon adaptation index (CAI) and relative codon deoptimization index (RCDI) analysis revealed that the greatest adaption of PVM was to pepino, followed by tomato and potato. Moreover, similarity Index (SiD) analysis showed that pepino had a greater impact on PVM than tomato and potato. Our study is the first attempt to evaluate the codon usage pattern of the PVM CP and NABP genes to better understand the evolutionary changes of a carlavirus.

Localized Context-Dependent Effects of the "Ambush" Hypothesis: More Off-Frame Stop Codons Downstream of Shifty Codons

The ambush hypothesis speculates that off-frame stop codons increase translational efficiency after ribosomal frameshifts by stopping early frameshifted translation. Some evidences fit this hypothesis: (1) synonymous codon usages increase with their potential contribution to off-frame stops; (2) the genetic code assigns frequent amino acids to codon families contributing to off-frame stops; (3) positive biases for off-frame stops (AT rich) occur despite adverse nucleotide (GC) biases; and (4) mitochondrial off-frame stop codon densities increase with ribosomal structural instability, potential proxy of frameshift frequencies. In this study, analyses of vertebrate mitogenes and tRNA synthetase genes from all superkingdoms and viruses test a new prediction of the ambush hypothesis: sequences immediately downstream of frameshift-inducing homopolymer codons (AAA, CCC, GGG, and TTT) are off-frame stop rich. Codons immediately downstream of homopolymer codons form more than average off-frame stops, biases are stronger than for corresponding upstream distances and for any other group of synonymous codons. Sequences downstream of that high-density region are off-frame stop depleted. This decrease suggests that off-frame stops, combined with suppressor tRNAs regulate translation of overlapping coding sequences. Results show the predictive power of the ambush hypothesis, from macroevolutionary (genetic code structure) to detailed gene sequence anatomy.

Protein Sequences Recapitulate Genetic Code Evolution

Several hypotheses predict ranks of amino acid assignments to genetic code's codons. Analyses here show that average positions of amino acid species in proteins correspond to assignment ranks, in particular as predicted by Juke's neutral mutation hypothesis for codon assignments. In all tested protein groups, including co- and post-translationally folding proteins, 'recent' amino acids are on average closer to gene 5' extremities than 'ancient' ones. Analyses of pairwise residue contact energies matrices suggest that early amino acids stereochemically selected late ones that stablilize residue interactions within protein cores, presumably producing 5'-late-to-3'-early amino acid protein sequence gradients. The gradient might reduce protein misfolding, also after mutations, extending principles of neutral mutations to protein folding. Presumably, in self-perpetuating and self-correcting systems like the genetic code, initial conditions produce similarities between evolution of the process (the genetic code) and 'ontogeny' of resulting structures (here proteins), producing apparent teleonomy between process and product.

Bijective codon transformations show genetic code symmetries centered on cytosine's coding properties

Homology of some RNAs with template DNA requires systematic exchanges between nucleotides. Such exchanges produce 'swinger' RNA along 23 bijective transformations (nine symmetric, X ↔ Y; and 14 asymmetric, X → Y → Z → X, for example A ↔ C and A → C → G → A, respectively). Here, analyses compare amino acids coded by swinger-transformed codons to those coded by untransformed codons, defining coding invariance after transformations. Swinger transformations cluster according to coding invariance in four groups characterized by transformations into cytosine (C = C, T → C, A → C, and G → C). C's central mutational coding role shows that swinger transformations constrained genetic code genesis. Coding invariance post-transformations correlate positively/negatively with mitochondrial swinger transcription/lepidosaurian body temperature. Presumably, low/high temperatures stabilize/revert rare swinger polymerization modes, producing long swinger sequences/point mutations, respectively. Coding invariance after swinger transformations might compensate effects of swinger polymerizations in species with low body temperatures. Hypothetically, swinger transcription increased coding potential of RNA self-replicating protolife systems under heating/cooling cycles.

Genetic Code Optimization for Cotranslational Protein Folding: Codon Directional Asymmetry Correlates with Antiparallel Betasheets, tRNA Synthetase Classes

A new codon property, codon directional asymmetry in nucleotide content (CDA), reveals a biologically meaningful genetic code dimension: palindromic codons (first and last nucleotides identical, codon structure XZX) are symmetric (CDA = 0), codons with structures ZXX/XXZ are 5'/3' asymmetric (CDA = - 1/1; CDA = - 0.5/0.5 if Z and X are both purines or both pyrimidines, assigning negative/positive (-/+) signs is an arbitrary convention). Negative/positive CDAs associate with (a) Fujimoto's tetrahedral codon stereo-table; (b) tRNA synthetase class I/II (aminoacylate the 2'/3' hydroxyl group of the tRNA's last ribose, respectively); and (c) high/low antiparallel (not parallel) betasheet conformation parameters. Preliminary results suggest CDA-whole organism associations (body temperature, developmental stability, lifespan). Presumably, CDA impacts spatial kinetics of codon-anticodon interactions, affecting cotranslational protein folding. Some synonymous codons have opposite CDA sign (alanine, leucine, serine, and valine), putatively explaining how synonymous mutations sometimes affect protein function. Correlations between CDA and tRNA synthetase classes are weaker than between CDA and antiparallel betasheet conformation parameters. This effect is stronger for mitochondrial genetic codes, and potentially drives mitochondrial codon-amino acid reassignments. CDA reveals information ruling nucleotide-protein relations embedded in reversed (not reverse-complement) sequences (5'-ZXX-3'/5'-XXZ-3').

Translation of mitochondrial swinger RNAs according to tri-, tetra- and pentacodons

Transcriptomes and proteomes include RNA and protein fragments not matching regular transcription/translation. Some 'non-canonical' mitochondrial transcripts match mitogenomes after assuming one among 23 systematic exchanges between nucleotides, producing swinger RNAs (nine symmetric, X↔Y, example C↔T; 14 asymmetric, X→Y→Z→X, example A→T→G→A) in GenBank's EST database. Here, reanalyzes of (a) public human mitochondrial transcriptome data (Illumina: RNA-seq) allowed to detect mitochondrial swinger RNAs for all 23 exchanges and (b) independent public human mitochondrial trypsinized proteomic mass spectrometry data allowed to detect peptides predicted from translation of parts of swinger-transformed mitogenomes covered by detected swinger reads. RNA-seq and previous EST swinger transcript data converge. Swinger RNA translation frequently inserts various amino acids at stop codons. Swinger RNA-peptide associations exist also for peptides matching systematically frameshifting translation, peptides entirely coded by tetra- and pentacodons (regular codons expanded by silent mononucleotides at 4th, and silent dinucleotides at 4th and 5th position(s), respectively). Swinger peptides differ from regular mitochondrial proteins: not membrane embedded, reflect warmer, anaerobic, low resource conditions, reminding a free-living ancestor. Tetra- and pentacoded peptides associate with low, high GC contents, respectively, suggesting expanded codon translations associate with thermic stresses. Results confirm experimentally predicted swinger, tetra- and pentacoded mitochondrial peptides, increasing mitogenomic coding density.

Evolutionary Limitation and Opportunities for Developing tRNA Synthetase Inhibitors with 5-Binding-Mode Classification

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are enzymes that catalyze the transfer of amino acids to their cognate tRNAs as building blocks for translation. Each of the aaRS families plays a pivotal role in protein biosynthesis and is indispensable for cell growth and survival. In addition, aaRSs in higher species have evolved important non-translational functions. These translational and non-translational functions of aaRS are attractive for developing antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic agents and for treating other human diseases. The interplay between amino acids, tRNA, ATP, EF-Tu and non-canonical binding partners, had shaped each family with distinct pattern of key sites for regulation, with characters varying among species across the path of evolution. These sporadic variations in the aaRSs offer great opportunity to target these essential enzymes for therapy. Up to this day, growing numbers of aaRS inhibitors have been discovered and developed. Here, we summarize the latest developments and structural studies of aaRS inhibitors, and classify them with distinct binding modes into five categories.

Codon expansion and systematic transcriptional deletions produce tetra-, pentacoded mitochondrial peptides

Genes include occasionally isolated codons with a fourth (and fifth) silent nucleotide(s). Assuming tetracodons, translated hypothetical peptides align with regular GenBank proteins; predicted tetracodons coevolve with predicted tRNAs with expanded anticodons in each mammal, Drosophila and Lepidosauria mitogenomes, GC contents and with lepidosaurian body temperatures, suggesting that expanded codons are an adaptation of translation to high temperature. Hypothetically, continuous stretches of tetra- and pentacodons code for peptides. Both systematic nucleotide deletions during transcription, and translation by tRNAs with expanded anticodons could produce these peptides. Reanalyses of human nanoLc mass spectrometry peptidome data detect numerous tetra- and pentapeptides translated from the human mitogenome. These map preferentially on (BLAST-detected) human RNAs matching the human mitogenome, assuming systematic mono- and dinucleotide deletions after each third nucleotide (delRNAs). Translation by expanded anticodons is incompatible with silent nucleotides in the midst rather than at codon 3' extremity. More than 1/3 of detected tetra- and pentapeptides assume silent positions at codon extremity, suggesting that both mechanisms, regular translation of delRNAs and translation of regular RNAs by expanded anticodons, produce this peptide subgroup. Results show that systematically deleting polymerization occurs, and confirm serial translation of expanded codons. Non-canonical transcriptions and translations considerably expand the coding potential of DNA and RNA sequences.

Systematic asymmetric nucleotide exchanges produce human mitochondrial RNAs cryptically encoding for overlapping protein coding genes

GenBank's EST database includes RNAs matching exactly human mitochondrial sequences assuming systematic asymmetric nucleotide exchange-transcription along exchange rules: A→G→C→U/T→A (12 ESTs), A→U/T→C→G→A (4 ESTs), C→G→U/T→C (3 ESTs), and A→C→G→U/T→A (1 EST), no RNAs correspond to other potential asymmetric exchange rules. Hypothetical polypeptides translated from nucleotide-exchanged human mitochondrial protein coding genes align with numerous GenBank proteins, predicted secondary structures resemble their putative GenBank homologue's. Two independent methods designed to detect overlapping genes (one based on nucleotide contents analyses in relation to replicative deamination gradients at third codon positions, and circular code analyses of codon contents based on frame redundancy), confirm nucleotide-exchange-encrypted overlapping genes. Methods converge on which genes are most probably active, and which not, and this for the various exchange rules. Mean EST lengths produced by different nucleotide exchanges are proportional to (a) extents that various bioinformatics analyses confirm the protein coding status of putative overlapping genes; (b) known kinetic chemistry parameters of the corresponding nucleotide substitutions by the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma (nucleotide DNA misinsertion rates); (c) stop codon densities in predicted overlapping genes (stop codon readthrough and exchanging polymerization regulate gene expression by counterbalancing each other). Numerous rarely expressed proteins seem encoded within regular mitochondrial genes through asymmetric nucleotide exchange, avoiding lengthening genomes. Intersecting evidence between several independent approaches confirms the working hypothesis status of gene encryption by systematic nucleotide exchanges.

Coding constraints modulate chemically spontaneous mutational replication gradients in mitochondrial genomes

Distances from heavy and light strand replication origins determine duration mitochondrial DNA remains singlestranded during replication. Hydrolytic deaminations from A->G and C->T occur more on single- than doublestranded DNA. Corresponding replicational nucleotide gradients exist across mitochondrial genomes, most at 3rd, least 2^nd codon positions. DNA singlestrandedness during RNA transcription causes gradients mainly in long-lived species with relatively slow metabolism (high transcription/replication ratios). Third codon nucleotide contents, evolutionary results of mutation cumulation, follow replicational, not transcriptional gradients in Homo; observed human mutations follow transcriptional gradients. Synonymous third codon position transitions potentially alter adaptive off frame information. No mutational gradients occur at synonymous positions forming off frame stops (these adaptively stop early accidental frameshifted protein synthesis), nor in regions coding for putative overlapping genes according to an overlapping genetic code reassigning stop codons to amino acids. Deviation of 3rd codon nucleotide contents from deamination gradients increases with coding importance of main frame 3rd codon positions in overlapping genes (greatest if these are 2^nd position in overlapping genes). Third codon position deamination gradients calculated separately for each codon family are strongest where synonymous transitions are rarely pathogenic; weakest where transitions are frequently pathogenic. Synonymous mutations affect translational accuracy, such as error compensation of misloaded tRNAs by codon-anticodon mismatches (prevents amino acid misinsertion despite tRNA misacylation), a potential cause of pathogenic mutations at synonymous codon positions. Indeed, codon-family-specific gradients are inversely proportional to error compensation associated with gradient-promoted transitions. Deamination gradients reflect spontaneous chemical reactions in singlestranded DNA, but functional coding constraints modulate gradients.

Error compensation of tRNA misacylation by codon-anticodon mismatch prevents translational amino acid misinsertion

Codon-anticodon mismatches and tRNA misloadings cause translational amino acid misinsertions, producing dysfunctional proteins. Here I explore the original hypothesis whether mismatches tend to compensate misacylation, so as to insert the amino acid coded by the codon. This error compensation is promoted by the fact that codon-anticodon mismatch stabilities increase with tRNA misacylation potentials (predicted by 'tfam') by non-cognate amino acids coded by the mismatched codons for most tRNAs examined. Error compensation is independent of preferential misacylation by non-cognate amino acids physico-chemically similar to cognate amino acids, a phenomenon that decreases misinsertion impacts. Error compensation correlates negatively with (a) codon/anticodon abundance (in human mitochondria and Escherichia coli); (b) developmental instability (estimated by fluctuating asymmetry in bilateral counts of subdigital lamellae, in each of two lizard genera, Anolis and Sceloporus); and (c) pathogenicity of human mitochondrial tRNA polymorphisms. Patterns described here suggest that tRNA misacylation is sometimes compensated by codon-anticodon mismatches. Hence translation inserts the amino acid coded by the mismatched codon, despite mismatch and misloading. Results suggest that this phenomenon is sufficiently important to affect whole organism phenotypes, as shown by correlations with pathologies and morphological estimates of developmental stability.