Reading frame
Reading frame is a concept in molecular biology that is used to explain how ribosomes translate mRNA sequences into proteins. It is a continuous sequence of codons, which are groups of three nucleotides that correspond to specific amino acids or stop signals during protein synthesis.
Overview[edit | edit source]
In the process of translation, the ribosome reads the mRNA sequence in a specific direction, from the 5' end to the 3' end. The reading frame that the ribosome uses to translate the mRNA into amino acids is determined by the start codon, which is usually the first AUG codon in the mRNA sequence.
There are three possible reading frames in an mRNA sequence, each starting from a different nucleotide in the first codon. The correct reading frame is the one that results in the production of a functional protein. If the ribosome starts translating at the wrong nucleotide, it will read the wrong codons, resulting in a non-functional protein.
Open reading frames[edit | edit source]
An open reading frame (ORF) is a sequence of DNA or RNA that has the potential to be translated into a protein. It starts with a start codon (AUG), and ends with a stop codon (UAA, UAG, or UGA). The length of an ORF is a multiple of three nucleotides, because each codon consists of three nucleotides.
ORFs are used in the process of gene prediction, where they are used to identify potential protein-coding regions in a DNA sequence. The presence of an ORF does not necessarily mean that it is expressed as a protein, as it could be a pseudogene or a non-coding RNA.
Frame shift mutation[edit | edit source]
A frame shift mutation is a type of mutation that changes the reading frame of the mRNA. This can occur through the insertion or deletion of nucleotides in the DNA sequence. If the number of inserted or deleted nucleotides is not a multiple of three, the reading frame will be shifted, resulting in the production of a different protein.
Frame shift mutations can have severe effects on the organism, as they can change the entire sequence of amino acids in the protein. This can result in a non-functional protein, or a protein with a completely different function.
See also[edit | edit source]
| Reading frame Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
