Figure 1

Translation rate benefit of codon bias in E. coli The estimated translation rate benefit of codon bias in E. coli, according to 5 different scenarios (described in Methods) for extrapolating from incomplete empirical data to obtain an estimate over all codons. White bars: duration of translocation assumed to be negligible in comparison to the duration of ternary complex selection. Cross-hatched bars: duration of translocation assumed to be invariant and short in comparison to the duration of ternary complex selection. Both white and cross-hatched bars: benefit of codon bias in E. coli estimated relative to uniform codon use. Black bars: duration of translocation assumed to be invariant and short in comparison to the duration of ternary complex selection, benefit of codon bias in E. coli estimated relative to a biologically realistic degree of low codon bias (see text).