Key result
Stronger mRNA pseudoknots increase frameshifting efficiency but limit full-length products by acting as ribosomal roadblocks.
Why the study?
The physical mechanism behind programmed ribosomal frameshifting mediated by mRNA pseudoknots remains to be fully understood.
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May guide mRNA therapeutic design; leaves open whether pseudoknot tuning improves in vivo protein yields.
Tholstrup et al. (2011) studied this question. Synthetic sequences forming mRNA pseudoknot-like structures was evaluated on Frameshifting efficiency and ribosomal roadblocking. Stronger mRNA pseudoknots increase frameshifting efficiency but also act as ribosomal roadblocks, limiting the production of full-length frameshifted products.
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