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Molecular biology

Signals across domains of life

Signal sequences on messenger RNA that initiate protein synthesis are not thought to be interchangeable between life's domains. The finding that a signal from an arthropod virus can function in bacteria questions this idea. See Letter p.110

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Figure 1: Internal ribosome entry sites trigger protein synthesis in bacteria.

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Correspondence to Eric Jan.

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Jan, E. Signals across domains of life. Nature 519, 40–41 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14202

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