Conserved +1 translational frameshifting in the S. cerevisiae gene encoding YPL034W

Living cells have developed exquisite mechanisms to ensure accurate translation of mRNA. Many of them are dedicated to preventing the change in reading frame during translation elongation. A minority of chromosomally encoded genes have evolved sequences that subvert standard decoding to program +1 translational frameshifting, either constitutively or in response to external stimuli. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, three chromosomal genes are known to employ programmed +1 translational frameshifting for expression of full-length functional products. Here we identify a fourth yeast gene, YFS1, encompassing the existing predicted open reading frame YPL034W, with conserved programmed +1 frameshifting. Like the previously known examples, it appears to exploit peculiarities in tRNA abundance in S. cerevisiae.