title: A ribosomal frameshifting error during translation of the argI mRNA of Escherichia coli.
abstract: Using fusions between the Escherichia coli genes argI and lacZ, it has been demonstrated that ribosomal frameshifting occurs at a frequency of between 3% and 16% within the argI mRNA, soon after the initiation codon. The frameshift involves a phenylalanyl-tRNA shifting into the +1 frame at the sequence UUU-U/C. The shift does not occur if the in-frame phenylalanine codon UUU is replaced by UUC. The level of frameshifting is higher in dense cultures and is not dependent on phenylalanine starvation. In the wild-type argI gene this frameshifting event would be an error, leading to a truncated, non-functional protein. Therefore, it is unlike the numerous examples of required frameshifting events that have been described in other genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 62901.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003062:Codon; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D016368:Frameshift Mutation; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007763:Lac Operon; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012347:RNA, Transfer, Arg / Q000235:genetics*; D016364:Reading Frames; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012347:RNA, Transfer, Arg; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase