Length-dependent translation of messenger RNA by ribosomes

Angelo Valleriani, Gong Zhang, Apoorva Nagar, Zoya Ignatova, and Reinhard Lipowsky
Phys. Rev. E 83, 042903 – Published 21 April 2011
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Abstract

A simple measure for the efficiency of protein synthesis by ribosomes is provided by the steady state amount of protein per messenger RNA (mRNA), the so-called translational ratio, which is proportional to the translation rate. Taking the degradation of mRNA into account, we show theoretically that both the translation rate and the translational ratio decrease with increasing mRNA length, in agreement with available experimental data for the prokaryote Escherichia coli. We also show that, compared to prokaryotes, mRNA degradation in eukaryotes leads to a less rapid decrease of the translational ratio. This finding is consistent with the fact that, compared to prokaryotes, eukaryotes tend to have longer proteins.

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  • Received 15 May 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.83.042903

©2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Angelo Valleriani1,*, Gong Zhang2, Apoorva Nagar1, Zoya Ignatova2, and Reinhard Lipowsky1

  • 1Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, D-14424 Potsdam, Germany
  • 2University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, D-14467 Potsdam, Germany

  • *angelo.valleriani@mpikg.mpg.de

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Vol. 83, Iss. 4 — April 2011

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