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Methionine on the rise: how mitochondria changed their codon usage
Author(s) -
Boos Felix,
Wollin Michael,
Herrmann Johannes M
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.15252/embj.201695385
Subject(s) - biology , methionine , mitochondrion , codon usage bias , genetics , amino acid , genome , gene
The tRNA specific for methionine ( tRNA M et ) of human mitochondria contains a formyl‐cytosine at the wobble position of the anticodon to facilitate its binding to AUG , AUA and (in one instance) to AUU . In this issue of The EMBO Journal , Haag et al identify a two‐step enzyme pathway facilitating the modification of the tRNA . Sequential reactions of the methyltransferase NSUN 3 and the dioxygenase ALKBH 1/ ABH 1 are important to render the tRNA as able to recognize the non‐canonical methionine codons AUA and AUU s, a property critical for efficient protein synthesis in human mitochondria.