Comparative analysis of codon usage patterns of FUT2 from different species

Abstract EN

Enterotoxigenic E.

coli is an important zoonotic pathogen causing diarrhea in humans and newborn animals.

α - (1,2) fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) is closely associated with the formation of pathogenic receptors of Enterotoxigenic E.

coli.

Codon usage bias analysis can help to understand better the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary relationships of a particular gene.

To understand the codon usage pattern of the FUT2 gene, FUT2 gene coding sequences of nine species were selected from the GenBank database for calculating the nucleotide composition (GC content) and genetic indices, including an adequate number of codons, relative synonymous codon usage, and relative codon usage bias using R software, to analyze codon usage bias and base composition in FUT2 gene from different species.

The results showed that the codon usage of the FUT2 gene in other species was affected by GC bias, mainly GC frequency at the third position of codon (GC3).

Most of the optimal codons were biased towards the G/C-ending types.

GCC, CUG, UCC, GUG, and AUC showed the highest relative synonymous codon usage value among different species belonging to the most dominant codons.

The usage characteristic of the codons for the FUT2 gene in Sus scrofa was similar to that of Bos taurus; Homo sapiens was similar to Pan troglodytes.

An adequate number of codons was significantly negatively correlated with GC3.

The relatively higher frequency of optimal codons implied that FUT2 genes from different species had a strong bias in codon usage.