Codon Bias Can Determine Sorting of a Potassium Channel Protein

Authors

• Anja J. Engel, Technische Universitat Darmstadt
• Marina Kithil, Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Markus Langhans, Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Oliver Rauh, Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Matea Cartolano, Technische Universität Darmstadt
• James L. Van Etten, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
• Anna Moroni, Univerisity of Milan
• Gerhard Thiel, Technische Universität Darmstadt

ORCID IDs

Marina Kithil

Markus Langhans

Oliver Rauh

James L. Van Etten

Anna Moroni

Gerhard Thiel

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

5-7-2021

Citation

Engel, A.J.; Kithil, M.; Langhans, M.; Rauh, O.; Cartolano, M.; Van Etten, J.L.; Moroni, A.; Thiel, G. Codon Bias Can Determine Sorting of a Potassium Channel Protein. Cells 2021, 10, 1128. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/cells10051128

Comments

CC-BY

Abstract

Due to the redundancy of the genetic code most amino acids are encoded by multiple synonymous codons. It has been proposed that a biased frequency of synonymous codons can affect the function of proteins by modulating distinct steps in transcription, translation and folding. Here, we use two similar prototype K⁺ channels as model systems to examine whether codon choice has an impact on protein sorting. By monitoring transient expression of GFP-tagged channels in mammalian cells, we find that one of the two channels is sorted in a codon and cell cycle-dependent manner either to mitochondria or the secretory pathway. The data establish that a gene with either rare or frequent codons serves, together with a cell-state-dependent decoding mechanism, as a secondary code for sorting intracellular membrane proteins.