The Relation between Translation Speed and Protein Secondary Structure

LI Xiao-Qin1,2, LUO Liao-Fu1,2*, LIU Ci-Quan1*

( 1 Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650223, China;
2 Department of Physics, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China )

Abstract Based on the statistical analysis of 119 human and 92 E. coli proteins it was found that for both human and E. coli, the mRNA sequences consisting of tri-codon and tetra-codon with high translation speed preferably code for alpha helices more than for coils. For beta strand, the preference/avoidance oscillates with the translation speed. Moreover, the non-homogeneous usages of tri-codon and tetra-codon with different translation speeds in a given secondary structure have also been found. These results cannot be simply explained by the effect of stochastic fluctuation.

Key words
mRNA sequence; protein secondary structure; translation speed

Corresponding author:
LUO Liao-Fu: Tel, 86-28-85422749; Fax, 86-28-85501518; e-mail, [email protected]
LIU Ci-Quan: Tel, 86-871-5195183; Fax, 86-871-5191823; e-mail, [email protected]