Summary
A number of nonsense alleles of lacZ exhibit phenotypic suppression (as much as a sixteen-fold increase in leakiness) during partial limitation for certain aminoacyl-tRNA species in relA mutant cells. Each responsive allele has its individual pattern of response to limitation for one or more amino acids or aminoacyl-tRNA's. The phenotypic suppression occurs only during limitation, and ceases once limitation is reversed. Suppression is much reduced by the presence of the relA+ allele or an allele of rpsL which restricts ribosomal ambiguity. In one case, the suppressed product has been identified by radioimmune assay and gel electrophoresis, and is a full-length lacZ protomer. Mechanisms are discussed whereby aberrations of translation at codons calling for an aminoacyl-tRNA species in short supply might lead to readthrough of a nearby nonsense codon.
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Gallant, J., Erlich, H., Weiss, R. et al. Nonsense suppression in aminoacyl-t-RNA limited cells. Mol Gen Genet 186, 221–227 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331853
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331853