PNAS
Abstract
Much confusion in genome-wide studies results from mistakenly interpreting correlation as causation. Zhao et al. observe a positive correlation between the codon bias index (CBI)—the extent to which a gene uses preferred synonymous codons—and the nuclear messenger RNA (mRNA) concentration among Neurospora crassa genes. This correlation could have originated from the processes of 1) high CBIs causing high mRNA levels, 2) high mRNA levels causing high CBIs, and/or 3) a third factor concordantly altering the CBI and mRNA level of a gene. Considering only process 1, Zhao et al. deduce that “codon usage broadly influences mRNA levels through transcription.” Below, we explain why processes 2 and 3 are likely, and why Zhao et al.’s conclusion is unwarranted.
| 论文编号: | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2104714118 |
| 论文题目: | Codon Usage Bias and Nuclear mRNA Concentration: Correlation vs. Causation |
| 英文论文题目: | Codon Usage Bias and Nuclear mRNA Concentration: Correlation vs. Causation |
| 第一作者: | Wenfeng Qian and Jianzhi Zhang |
| 英文第一作者: | Wenfeng Qian and Jianzhi Zhang |
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| 发表年度: | 2021-05-06 |
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| 摘要: | Much confusion in genome-wide studies results from mistakenly interpreting correlation as causation. Zhao et al. observe a positive correlation between the codon bias index (CBI)—the extent to which a gene uses preferred synonymous codons—and the nuclear messenger RNA (mRNA) concentration among Neurospora crassa genes. This correlation could have originated from the processes of 1) high CBIs causing high mRNA levels, 2) high mRNA levels causing high CBIs, and/or 3) a third factor concordantly altering the CBI and mRNA level of a gene. Considering only process 1, Zhao et al. deduce that “codon usage broadly influences mRNA levels through transcription.” Below, we explain why processes 2 and 3 are likely, and why Zhao et al.’s conclusion is unwarranted. |
| 英文摘要: | Much confusion in genome-wide studies results from mistakenly interpreting correlation as causation. Zhao et al. observe a positive correlation between the codon bias index (CBI)—the extent to which a gene uses preferred synonymous codons—and the nuclear messenger RNA (mRNA) concentration among Neurospora crassa genes. This correlation could have originated from the processes of 1) high CBIs causing high mRNA levels, 2) high mRNA levels causing high CBIs, and/or 3) a third factor concordantly altering the CBI and mRNA level of a gene. Considering only process 1, Zhao et al. deduce that “codon usage broadly influences mRNA levels through transcription.” Below, we explain why processes 2 and 3 are likely, and why Zhao et al.’s conclusion is unwarranted. |
| 刊物名称: | PNAS |
| 英文刊物名称: | PNAS |
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| 其它备注: | Wenfeng Qian and Jianzhi Zhang. Codon Usage Bias and Nuclear mRNA Concentration: Correlation vs. Causation. PNAS. DOI:10.1073/pnas.2104714118 |
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