Initiation of translation of the β-glucuronidase reporter gene at internal aug codons in plant cells

A series of N-terminal fusions of the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene have been used to analyse patterns of translation initiation in plants. The levels of expression and the sizes of the GUS fusion products were monitored following transient expression in carrot protoplasts. The results fit a modified Kozak's scanning model that incorporates the option of translational termination followed by reinitiation at start codons nearby.