title: Sequence analysis and compositional properties of untranslated regions of human mRNAs.
abstract: A detailed computer analysis of the untranslated regions, 5'-UTR and 3'-UTR, of human mRNA sequences is reported. The compositional properties of these regions, compared with those of the corresponding coding regions, indicate that 5'-UTR and 3'-UTR are less affected by the isochore compartmentalization than the corresponding third codon positions of mRNAs. The presence of higher functional constraints in 5'-UTR is also reported. Dinucleotide analysis shows a depletion of CpG and TpA in both sequences. A search for significant sequence motifs using the WORDUP algorithm reveals the patterns already known to have a functional role in the mRNA UTR, and several other motifs whose functional roles remain to be demonstrated. This type of analysis may be particularly useful for guiding site-directed mutagenesis experiments. In addition, it can be used for assessing the nature of anonymous sequences now produced in large amounts in megabase sequencing projects.
authors.affiliation: Centro Studi Mitocondri e Metabolismo Energetico, CNR, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pesole
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiormarino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saccone
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001482:Base Composition; D003062:Codon; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D012333:RNA, Messenger