Abstract
A mathematical model is presented for the steps in the elongation process, and the steady-state elongation rate as a function of the amino acid concentrations is found. In addition, the reset sub-process of the elongation process is modeled. The rate of elongation of peptide chains is found to be a function of the concentration of the amino acid to be bound and the concentration of all other amino acids. In addition, the overall elongation rate depends on the concentrations of elongation factors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Drew, D. A. (2001). A mathematical model for prokaryotic protein synthesis. Bull. Math. Biol. 63, 329–351.
Frank, J., A. B. Heagle and R. K. Agrawal (1999). Animation of the dynamical events of the elongation cycle based on cryoelectron microscopy of functional complexes of the ribosome. J. Struct. Biol. 128, 15–18.
Pape, T., W. Wintermeyer and M. V. Rodnina (1998). Complete kinetic mechanism of elongation factor Tu-dependent binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the A site of the E-coli ribosome. EMBO J. 17, 7490–7497.
Rodnina, M. V. (2003). Personal communication.
Rodnina, M. V. and W. Wintermeyer (2001). Fidelity of aminoacyl-tRNA selection on the ribosome: kinetic and structural mechanisms. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 70, 415–435.
Rodnina, M. V., A. Savelsbergh, V. I. Katunin and W. Wintermeyer (1997). Hydrolysis of GTP by elongation factor G drives tRNA movement on the ribosome. Nature (London) 385, 37–41.
Rodnina, M. V., A. Savelsbergh and W. Wintermeyer (1999). Dynamics of translation on the ribosome: molecular mechanics of translocation. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 23, 317–333.
Sorensen, M. A. and S. Pedersen (1991). Absolute in vivo translation rates of individual codons in Escherichia coli. The two glutamic acid codons GAA and GAG are translated with a threefold difference in rate. J. Mol. Biol. 222, 265–280.
Tomsic, J., L. A. Vitali, T. Daviter, A. Savelsbergh, R. Spurio, P. Striebeck, W. Wintermeyer, M. V. Rodnina and C. O. Gualerzi (2000). Late events of translation initiation in bacteria: a kinetic analysis. EMBO J. 19, 2127–2136.
Wintermeyer, W. and M. V. Rodnina (2000). Translational elongation factor G: a GTP-driven motor of the ribosome. Essays Biochem. 35, 117–128.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heyd, A., Drew, D.A. A mathematical model for elongation of a peptide chain. Bull. Math. Biol. 65, 1095–1109 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-8240(03)00076-4
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-8240(03)00076-4