Abstract
Background
Protein synthesis is a cellular process that takes place through the successive translation events within the ribosome with the help of the event-specific protein factors, namely, initiation, elongation, release, and recycling factors. The translation process is fundamental to all organisms living in the wide variety of environments. In this regard, we asked the questions about how similar are those translation factors to each other from a wide variety of bacteria? Hence, we did a thorough in silico study of the translation factors from 495 bacterial sp., and 4262 amino acid sequences, wherein we theoretically measured their pI and MW values that are the two determining factors for distinguishing individual proteins in 2D gel electrophoresis. Then we analyzed the output from various angles.
Results
Our study revealed that, not all the pI values are same or random, but there is a distinct order, such that the pI values of translation factors are translation event specific. We found that the translation initiation factors are mainly basic, whereas, elongation and release factors that interact with the inter-subunit space of the intact 70S ribosome during translation are strictly acidic. Further analysis revealed that the acidic property of those factors is due to the higher frequencies of glutamic acids. However, two translation factors, the translation initiation factor 2 (IF2) and the ribosome recycling factor (RRF) showed variable pI values. Remarkably, the variability of the pI values of these two factors showed distinct lineage with the order of phylogeny.
Conclusion
From our results we conclude that, among all the bacterial translation factors, elongation and release factors are more conserved in terms of their pI values in comparison to initiation and recycling factors. Acidic properties of these factors are independent of habitat, nature, or the phylogeny of the bacterial species. Furthermore; irrespective of the different shapes, sizes, and functions of the elongation and release factors, possession of their strictly acidic pI values indicate that the acidic nature of these factors is a necessary criterion, perhaps to interact into the partially enclosed rRNA rich inter-subunit space of the translating 70S ribosome.
Acidic property of YNU-5 zeolite influenced by its unique micropore system
