Codon reading scheme in Mycoplasma pneumoniae revealed by the analysis of the complete set of tRNA genes

Abstract

The 33 genes encoding the complete set of tRNA species in Mycoplasma pneumoniae have been cloned and sequenced. They are organized into 5 clusters in addition to 9 single genes. No redundant gene was found, indicating that 33 tRNAs correspond to 32 different anticodons and decode all 62 codons used in this organism. There is only one single tRNA for each of the Ala, Leu, Pro, and Val family boxes. Therefore, a simplified decoding system resembling that recently described for Mycoplasma capricolum (1) has to also exist in M.pneumoniae. However, analysis of the anticodon set and codon usage revealed features characteristic of the latter: (i) there is no obvious preference toward AT rich synonymous codons, (ii) CGG codons are assigned for arginine and are translated by tRNA Arg(UCG), and (iii) CNN or GNN anticodons are encountered in the Ser, Thr, Arg, and Gly family boxes. We thus propose that this codon-anticodon recognition pattern has emerged in the 'M.pneumoniae cluster' under a genomic economization strategy but without the influence of AT pressure.