Comparative study on the translation initiation mechanism in metagenomes

摘要

@@Translation initiation is fundamentally important for all the protein-coding genes in the genome of every organism. In prokaryotes, the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence in mRNA is well known as the initiator element of translation. The SD sequence pairs with a complementary sequence in the 3' end of a 16S rRNA. This SD interaction is thought to be the universal mechanism of translation initiation in prokaryotes. The other mechanism discovered later is for leaderless mRNAs that lack their 5' UTR. A leaderless mRNA directly binds a 70S rRNA where translation is initiated. Leaderless mRNAs have been found in various species of prokaryotes, particularly in archaea. Many works have been done about the different translation initiation mechanisms in cultivated genomes. Metagenome, the sequencing and analysis of collective genomes of microorganisms isolated from an environment, promises direct access to the "unculturable majority".