A tripeptide discriminator for stop codon recognition

Only recently has it been established that a tripeptide in the bacterial release factors (RFs), RF1 and RF2, is responsible for the stop codon recognition. This functional mimic of the anticodon of tRNA is referred to as a tripeptide 'anticodon' or a tripeptide discriminator. Here we review the experimental background and process leading to this discovery, and strengthen functional evidence for the tripeptide determinant for deciphering stop codons in mRNAs in prokaryotes. (C) 2002 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.