Open AccessConserved Upstream Open Reading Frame Nascent Peptides That Control Translation
Author(s) -
Thomas E. Dever,
Ivaylo P. Ivanov,
Murray B. Sachs
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
annual review of genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.88
H-Index - 183
eISSN - 1545-2948
pISSN - 0066-4197
DOI - 10.1146/annurev-genet-112618-043822
Subject(s) - upstream open reading frame , biology , open reading frame , translation (biology) , ribosome , ribosome profiling , gene , genetics , translational regulation , protein biosynthesis , messenger rna , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , rna , peptide sequence
Cells utilize transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms to alter gene expression in response to environmental cues. Gene-specific controls, including changing the translation of specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs), provide a rapid means to respond precisely to different conditions. Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are known to control the translation of mRNAs. Recent studies in bacteria and eukaryotes have revealed the functions of evolutionarily conserved uORF-encoded peptides. Some of these uORF-encoded nascent peptides enable responses to specific metabolites to modulate the translation of their mRNAs by stalling ribosomes and through ribosome stalling may also modulate the level of their mRNAs. In this review, we highlight several examples of conserved uORF nascent peptides that stall ribosomes to regulate gene expression in response to specific metabolites in bacteria, fungi, mammals, and plants.