Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Measurement of Specific Mycobacterial Mistranslation Rates with Gain-of-function Reporter Systems
Published on: April 26, 2019
Why proteins evolve at different rates: the functional hypothesis versus the mistranslation-induced protein
1Howard Huges Medical Institute, Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Abstract:
Protein evolutionary rates have been presumed to be mostly determined by the density of functionally important amino acids in a given protein. They have been shown to correlate with variables intuitively related to functional importance of proteins, such as protein dispensability and protein-protein interactions. Surprisingly, the best correlate of the evolutionary rates has turned out to be not the functional importance of a protein, but the expression level of the protein. Drummond and Wilke suggest that the dominant role of expression levels in slowing the rate of protein evolution stems from a selection pressure against mistranslation-induced protein misfolding. We will review current evidence for and against different hypotheses on determining evolutionary rates.
More Related Videos
07:08Optimization of Synthetic Proteins: Identification of Interpositional Dependencies Indicating Structurally and/or Functionally Linked Residues
Published on: July 14, 2015
12:38Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism
Published on: December 18, 2013
Related Concept Videos
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
In contrast, regions which code...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
In contrast, regions which code...
Improving Translational Accuracy
Protein Folding
Protein Folding
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Protein Folding