Investigating Sequence Variation Effects on Shine Dalgarno in Tau

Comeau, Jillian E.

Student Work

Investigating Sequence Variation Effects on Shine Dalgarno in Tau Public

Microtubule binding protein Tau is a component of brain lesions in Alzheimer’s patients. Its role in neurodegeneration makes Tau a focus for researchers to understand what drives protein aggregation and disruption of neurological functioning. To fulfill the need for Tau, recombinant forms of protein are expressed in E. coli. Using a bacterial host to produce Tau subjects the gene to cell translational machinery and risks expression of suboptimal protein forms, like truncated variants. This research investigates sequence features of recombinant Tau that strengthen a Shine Dalgarno sequence to initiate translation at a cryptic start site within the coding region. Results suggest initiation of translation at the cryptic start site is dependent on upstream sequence of Shine Dalgarno region.

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