Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levels

Abstract The cell cycle is a temporal program that regulates DNA synthesis and cell division. When we compared the codon usage of cell cycle‐regulated genes with that of other genes, we discovered that there is a significant preference for non‐optimal codons. Moreover, genes encoding proteins that c...

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Main Authors: Milana Frenkel‐Morgenstern, Tamar Danon, Thomas Christian, Takao Igarashi, Lydia Cohen, Ya‐Ming Hou, Lars Juhl Jensen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2012-02-01
Series:Molecular Systems Biology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2012.3
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author Milana Frenkel‐Morgenstern
Tamar Danon
Thomas Christian
Takao Igarashi
Lydia Cohen
Ya‐Ming Hou
Lars Juhl Jensen
author_facet Milana Frenkel‐Morgenstern
Tamar Danon
Thomas Christian
Takao Igarashi
Lydia Cohen
Ya‐Ming Hou
Lars Juhl Jensen
author_sort Milana Frenkel‐Morgenstern
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The cell cycle is a temporal program that regulates DNA synthesis and cell division. When we compared the codon usage of cell cycle‐regulated genes with that of other genes, we discovered that there is a significant preference for non‐optimal codons. Moreover, genes encoding proteins that cycle at the protein level exhibit non‐optimal codon preferences. Remarkably, cell cycle‐regulated genes expressed in different phases display different codon preferences. Here, we show empirically that transfer RNA (tRNA) expression is indeed highest in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, consistent with the non‐optimal codon usage of genes expressed at this time, and lowest toward the end of G1, reflecting the optimal codon usage of G1 genes. Accordingly, protein levels of human glycyl‐, threonyl‐, and glutamyl‐prolyl tRNA synthetases were found to oscillate, peaking in G2/M phase. In light of our findings, we propose that non‐optimal (wobbly) matching codons influence protein synthesis during the cell cycle. We describe a new mathematical model that shows how codon usage can give rise to cell‐cycle regulation. In summary, our data indicate that cells exploit wobbling to generate cell cycle‐dependent dynamics of proteins.
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issn 1744-4292
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spelling doaj-art-91745ca15918440498669d6be21ab9fc2025-08-20T02:18:28ZengSpringer NatureMolecular Systems Biology1744-42922012-02-018111010.1038/msb.2012.3Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levelsMilana Frenkel‐Morgenstern0Tamar Danon1Thomas Christian2Takao Igarashi3Lydia Cohen4Ya‐Ming Hou5Lars Juhl Jensen6Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of ScienceDepartment of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of ScienceDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson UniversityDepartment of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of ScienceDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson UniversityDisease Systems Biology, Novo Nordisk Foundation for Protein Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of CopenhagenAbstract The cell cycle is a temporal program that regulates DNA synthesis and cell division. When we compared the codon usage of cell cycle‐regulated genes with that of other genes, we discovered that there is a significant preference for non‐optimal codons. Moreover, genes encoding proteins that cycle at the protein level exhibit non‐optimal codon preferences. Remarkably, cell cycle‐regulated genes expressed in different phases display different codon preferences. Here, we show empirically that transfer RNA (tRNA) expression is indeed highest in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, consistent with the non‐optimal codon usage of genes expressed at this time, and lowest toward the end of G1, reflecting the optimal codon usage of G1 genes. Accordingly, protein levels of human glycyl‐, threonyl‐, and glutamyl‐prolyl tRNA synthetases were found to oscillate, peaking in G2/M phase. In light of our findings, we propose that non‐optimal (wobbly) matching codons influence protein synthesis during the cell cycle. We describe a new mathematical model that shows how codon usage can give rise to cell‐cycle regulation. In summary, our data indicate that cells exploit wobbling to generate cell cycle‐dependent dynamics of proteins.https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2012.3cell cyclenon‐optimal codonstranslation regulationtRNA expression during cell cyclewobbling
spellingShingle Milana Frenkel‐Morgenstern
Tamar Danon
Thomas Christian
Takao Igarashi
Lydia Cohen
Ya‐Ming Hou
Lars Juhl Jensen
Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levels
Molecular Systems Biology
cell cycle
non‐optimal codons
translation regulation
tRNA expression during cell cycle
wobbling
title Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levels
title_full Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levels
title_fullStr Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levels
title_full_unstemmed Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levels
title_short Genes adopt non‐optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle‐dependent oscillations in protein levels
title_sort genes adopt non optimal codon usage to generate cell cycle dependent oscillations in protein levels
topic cell cycle
non‐optimal codons
translation regulation
tRNA expression during cell cycle
wobbling
url https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2012.3
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