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PMID: 8039509 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

The exchange of the discriminator base A73 for G is alone sufficient to convert human tRNA(Leu) into a serine-acceptor in vitro.

The EMBO journal ·Vol. 13 ·No. 13 ·1994-07-01 ·Pages 3166-9

Breitschopf K, Gross HJ

Abstract

Transfer RNA (tRNA) identify is maintained by the highly specific interaction of a few defined nucleotides or groups of nucleotides, called identity elements, with the cognate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, and by nonproductive interactions with the other 19 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Most tRNAs have a set of identity elements in at least two locations, commonly in the anticodon loop or in the acceptor stem, and at the discriminator base position 73. We have used T7 RNA polymerase transcribed tRNAs to demonstrate that the sole replacement of the discriminator base A73 of human tRNA(Leu) with the tRNA(Ser)-specific G generates a complete identity switch to serine acceptance. The reverse experiment, the exchange of G73 in human tRNA(Ser) for the tRNA(Leu-specific A, causes a total loss of serine specificity without creating any leucine acceptance. These results suggest that the discriminator base A73 of human tRNA(Leu) alone protects this tRNA against serylation by seryl-tRNA synthetase. This is the first report of a complete identity switch caused by an exchange of the discriminator base alone.

MeSH Terms
Acylation Adenine/metabolism Base Sequence DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases Guanine/metabolism Humans Leucine/metabolism Molecular Sequence Data Mutagenesis Nucleic Acid Conformation Protein Biosynthesis RNA, Transfer, Leu/chemistry,genetics,metabolism RNA, Transfer, Ser/chemistry,metabolism Serine/metabolism Viral Proteins
Chemicals
RNA, Transfer, Leu RNA, Transfer, Ser Viral Proteins Serine Guanine bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases Leucine Adenine
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Breitschopf K
Institut für Biochemie, Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität, Würzburg, Germany.
Gross H J
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Article Info
Journal
The EMBO journal
Abbr.
EMBO J
ISSN
0261-4189
Published
1994-07-01
Pages
3166-9
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
8208664
PMCID
PMC395208
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source PMC Full Text View journal details
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