title: Exploring the limits of codon and anticodon size.
abstract: We previously employed a combinatorial approach to identify the most efficient suppressors of four-base codons in E. coli. We have now examined the suppression of two-, three-, four-, five-, and six-base codons with tRNAs containing 6-10 nt in their anticodon loops. We found that the E. coli translational machinery tolerates codons of 3-5 bases and that tRNAs with 6-10 nt anticodon loops can suppress these codons. However, N-length codons were found to prefer N + 4-length anticodon loops. Additionally, sequence preferences, including the requirement of Watson-Crick complementarity to the codon, were evident in the loops. These selections have yielded efficient suppressors of four-base and five-base codons for our ongoing efforts to expand the genetic code. They also highlight some of the parameters that underlie the fidelity of frame maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: J Christopher
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Magliery
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000926:Anticodon / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D018965:Frameshifting, Ribosomal; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D015723:Gene Library; D005815:Genetic Code / Q000235:genetics*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics; D013489:Suppression, Genetic
chemical_list: D000926:Anticodon; D003062:Codon; D012343:RNA, Transfer