Specific, rapid synthesis of Phe-RNA by RNA.
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RNA 77, derived by selection amplification, accelerates its own conversion to Phe-RNA (relative to randomized RNA) more than 6 x 10(7)-fold, by using amino acid adenylates as substrate. A modified assay system allows measurement of slow rates of aa-RNA formation, which for disfavored amino acid substrates can be more than 10(4)-fold slower than phenylalanine. Thus unlike previously characterized self-aminoacylators, RNA 77 catalysis is highly amino acid selective. Remarkably, both rates of aminoacyl transfer and amino acid specificities are greater for RNA 77 than measured for protein PheRS. These data experimentally support the possible existence of an ancestral amino acid-specific translation system relying entirely on RNA catalysis. RNA 77 itself embodies a possible transitional evolutionary state, in which side-chain-specific aa-RNA formation and anticodon-codon pairing were invested in the same molecule. (+info)
Transfer RNA-dependent translocation of misactivated amino acids to prevent errors in protein synthesis.
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Misactivation of amino acids by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases can lead to significant errors in protein synthesis that are prevented by editing reactions. As an example, discrete sites in isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase for amino acid activation and editing are about 25 A apart. The details of how misactivated valine is translocated from one site to the other are unknown. Here, we present a kinetic study in which a fluorescent probe is used to monitor translocation of misactivated valine from the active site to the editing site. Isoleucine-specific tRNA, and not other tRNAs, is essential for translocation of misactivated valine. Misactivation and translocation occur on the same enzyme molecule, with translocation being rate limiting for editing. These results illustrate a remarkable capacity for a specific tRNA to enhance amino acid fine structure recognition by triggering a unimolecular translocation event. (+info)
One polypeptide with two aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities.
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The genome sequences of certain archaea do not contain recognizable cysteinyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases, which are essential for messenger RNA-encoded protein synthesis. However, a single cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase activity was detected and purified from one such organism, Methanococcus jannaschii. The amino-terminal sequence of this protein corresponded to the predicted sequence of prolyl-tRNA synthetase. Biochemical and genetic analyses indicated that this archaeal form of prolyl-tRNA synthetase can synthesize both cysteinyl-tRNA(Cys) and prolyl-tRNA(Pro). The ability of one enzyme to provide two aminoacyl-tRNAs for protein synthesis raises questions about concepts of substrate specificity in protein synthesis and may provide insights into the evolutionary origins of this process. (+info)
The activity of oligonucleotides containing guanosine 5'-triphosphate in protein synthesis. I. The interaction of protein synthesis elongation factor I with cytidylyl (5'-3')-guanosine 5'-triphosphate.
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The interaction of protein synthesis elongation factor 1 (EF-1) from wheat embryos and elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli with cytidylyl(5'-3')guanosine 5'-triphosphate(pppGpC) has been studied. The dinucleotide 5'-triphosphate interacts strongly with EF-1 as evidenced by its capacity to inhibit the binding of [3H]GTP to the factor. The analogs pGpC and GpC do not interfere with GTP binding to EF-1 but guanosine 5'-triphosphate cyclic 2',3'-monophosphate and ppGpC are also potent inhibitors. The binding of the dinucleotide 5'-triphosphate to EF-1 was also demonstrated directly by the nitrocellulose retention method and by Sephadex G-50 fractionation using a radioactive analog iodinated with 125I in the 5 position of the cytosine of pppGpC. The dinucleotide triphosphate can replace GTP in the formation of a ternary complex EF-1-aminoacyl-tRNA-GTP and in its requirement for the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to ribosomes catalyzed by EF-1. The absolute requirement for GTP in an in vitro polypeptide-synthesizing system can also be met by pppGpC and by guanosine 5'-triphosphate cyclic 5',3'-monophosphate. The bacterial factor EF-Tu differs drastically from eukaryotic EF-1 in its nucleotide specificity since EF-Tu only interacts slightly (if at all) with pppGpC. The low inhibition of [3H]GTP binding to EF-Tu by pppGpC could be due to a slight contamination in the latter compound. (+info)
The mechanism of aminoacylation of transfer ribonucleic acid. Reactivity of enzyme-bound isoleucyl adenylate.
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Isoleucyl adenylate bound to isoleucine:tRNA ligase of Escherichia coli (EC 6.1.1.5; isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase) transfers the isoleucine moiety to tRNA-Ile-E. coli with a half-time of about 35 s at 0 degrees and pH 7.6 in the presence of spermine or Mg2+. If a limited amount of tRNA-Ile is supplied to a mixture of free enzyme and enzyme-bound [14c]isoleucyl adenylate in a medium containing spermine, ATP, and [3H]isoleucine, almost none of the resultant isoleucyl tRNA is derived from preformed enzyme-bound [14C]isoleucyl adenylate. Almost all of the isoleucyl tRNA formed results directly from reaction of free enzyme, ATP, and isoleucine with tRNA. Similar but less clearcut results are obtained when Mg2+ is substituted for spermine. We conclude that isoleucyl adenylate bound to isoleucine:tRNA ligase is not a significant intermediate in the synthesis of isoleucyl tRNA under these conditions. (+info)
Interaction between phosphoribosyltransferase and purified histidine tRNA from wild type Salmonella typhimurium and a derepressed hisT mutant strain.
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We have examined the interaction between phosphoribosyltransferase and purified tRNA-His from the wild type strain of Salmonella typhimurium, LT-2, and the histidine regulatory mutant hisTl504. Histidyl-tRNA from the mutant strain functions normally in protein synthesis but is defective in its role in the repression mechanism of the histidine operon. Phosphoribosyltransferase has been suggested as a possible aporegulator for this operon and as such might be expected to interact abnormally with tRNA-His from hisT1504. In these studies we have been unable to detect any difference between the affinities of phosphoribosyltransferase for tRNA-His from LT-2 or hisT1504, and thus we conclude that if the complex between phosphoribosyltransferase and histidyl-tRNA does function in regulation, the defect in the hisT1504 mutant must influence the interaction of the complex with some other regulatory element. (+info)
Translational repression of a viral messenger RNA by a host protein.
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It is shown that factor i, a bacterial protein, specifically inhibits that step in the initiation of R17 bacteriophage RNA translation that involves the attachment of native R17 RNA to 30 S ribosomal subunits carrying fMet-tRNA. This inhibition by factor i is relieved by the addition of excess R17 RNA, but not by the addition of excess 30 S subunits. That R17 RNA is the only target of the inhibition is demonstrated further by the fact that in a cell-free extract containing all components for protein synthesis, factor i-mediated inhibition of exogenous R17 RNA translation can be overcome only by the addition of excess R17 RNA and not by excess cell-free extract. Upon relief of inhibition, phage coat protein synthesis is restored; enhancement of formation of other cistron products is not seen. While initiation of R17 RNA translation is blocked by factor i, chain elongation is not affected. Although foactor i inhibits the IF-3-dependent binding of R17 RNA to fMet-tRNA-30 S complexes, under conditions of initiation of protein synthesis formation of stable complexes between factor i and IF-3 could not be detected, and factor i did not interfere with the binding of IF-3 to free, native R17 RNA. Instead of affecting the function of IF-3 or ribosomes, factor i exerts its inhibition by binding to R17 RNA and acting as a translational repressor. Factor i prefers intact R17 RNA to fragments generated by autoradiolysis; its binding to R17 RNA is specific in that little competition is observed by transfer RNA, ribosomal RNA or poly(A). However, factor i has a high affinity for poly(U) sequences. (+info)
The importance of Escherichia coli ribosomal proteins L1, L11 and L16 for the association of ribosomal subunits and the formation of the 70-S initiation complex.
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50-S subunits were washed with LiCl solutions of different concentrations. After washing with 1 M LiCl solution the particles lost their ability to attach either to 30-S subunits or to the AUG - 30-S subunit - fMet-tRNAfMet complex or to a poly(U) - 30-S subunit - Phe-tRNAPhe complex. Those proteins which were removed by LiCl were fractionated on a Sephadex G-100 column. Of the fractionated proteins only the combinations L1 and L11 or L1 and L16 were essential for the association of 50-S 1.0 cores (particles prepared by washing 50-S subunits in 1.0 M LiCl) with 30-S subunits. These three proteins were also required for the formation of a stable complex between 50-S 1.0 cores, mRNA, 30-S subunits and aminoacyl-tRNA. (+info)