The majority of long non-stop reading frames on the antisense strand can be explained by biased codon usage

Abstract

In recent studies it has been suggested that long reading frames on the antisense strand of open reading frames (ORFs) are more frequent than expected. The vertebrate DNA database was searched for long (greater than 900 bp) antisense non-stop reading frames (aNRFs) that overlap known coding regions. The sequences obtained were predominantly positioned in DNA with a high usage of G or C in the third codon position of the sense ORF. The major class of sequences revealed by the search was that of the heat-shock protein 70 kDa (Hsp70) family. A long Hsp70 aNRF was found in many Hsp70 sequences and occurred in species as diverse as fish, flies, fungi and bacteria. The role of codon usage bias was..