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Updated: Jul 9, 2025
10:09
Thermodynamics of Membrane Protein Folding Measured by Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Published on: April 28, 2011
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Translation Rates and Protein Folding
Anton A Komar1, Ekaterina Samatova2, Marina V Rodnina2
1Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Journal of Molecular Biology
|December 8, 2023
Summary
The speed of protein synthesis, or translational rhythm, influences how proteins fold during translation. Deviations from this natural rhythm can lead to misfolded proteins and disease.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Biophysics
- Protein Folding
Background:
- Messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence dictates protein structure and synthesis speed.
- Local translation kinetics, termed translational rhythm, are conserved for related protein folds.
- Deviations in translational rhythm can cause protein misfolding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review experimental evidence on how local translation rates impact cotranslational protein folding.
- To highlight the roles of synonymous codons and charged residues in nascent peptides.
- To explore the consequences of disturbed translational rhythm on protein conformation.
Main Methods:
- Review of experimental studies on mRNA translation and protein folding.
- Analysis of synonymous codon usage effects on protein folding.
- Investigation of charged amino acid patch effects on translation and folding.
Main Results:
- Synonymous codons and charged residues significantly affect translational rates and cotranslational folding.
- Altered protein conformations due to disrupted rhythm can persist post-translation.
- Charged patches can inhibit translation when positioned at the N-terminus.
Conclusions:
- Precise translational rhythm guides protein folding towards native structures.
- Deviations from natural translation rhythm can lead to misfolded protein states.
- Understanding the mRNA 'folding code' is crucial for disease research and protein design.
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