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Molecular biology

Signals across domains of life

Nature volume 519, pages 40–41 (2015)Cite this article

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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

All domains of life, from prokaryotes (archaea and bacteria) to eukaryotes (organisms that include plants, animals and fungi) use the ribosome apparatus to synthesize proteins by translating genetic code carried by messenger RNAs. Although the general steps of protein synthesis are evolutionarily conserved, the way in which ribosomes are recruited to an mRNA molecule differs depending on the specific phylogenetic domain1. In this issue, Colussi et al.2 (page 110) reveal the surprising finding that a eukaryotic ribosome-recruiting signal is functional in prokaryotic bacteria, thereby challenging the prevailing dogma that prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosome recruitment are mutually exclusive.

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

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  1. Eric Jan is in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada.,

    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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