Interaction of eukaryotic tyrosyl-tRNA-synthetase with high molecular weight RNA

The affinity of eukaryotic tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases from bovine liver and from yeast for E. coli ribosomal RNA and synthetic polyribonucleotides has been studied by protein binding on the rRNA-Sepharose column and enzyme inhibition by high molecular weight RNAs. Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from bovine liver (Mr 2.59 kDa) was fully retained on the rRNA-Sepharose and eluted by buffer with 100 mM KCl. The functionally active modified form of bovine liver tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase obtained by endogenous limited proteolysis (Mr 2.38 kDa) partially maintains the affinity for rRNA and is eluted by 50 mM KCl. The highest rRNA-binding ability was revealed for yeast tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase eluted by 200 mM KCl. The E. coli tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase was not retained on rRNA-Sepharose. The aminoacylation activities of both bovine liver and yeast tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases were efficiently inhibited by rRNA and the inhibition was partially competitive in respect to tRNA(Tyr). At the same time the activities of proteolytically modified bovine tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and E. coli tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase were not influenced by the addition of rRNA. Synthetic single- and double-stranded polyribonucleotides specifically inhibited the activity of bovine tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase to different extent. The inhibition degree of bovine liver tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase decreased in the order: poly (G) greater than poly (I) greater than poly (I).poly (C) greater than poly (G).poly (C) greater than poly (C) greater than poly (A). Poly (U) did not inhibit the activity of bovine liver tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase.     

Tyroslyl-tRNA synthetase from baker's yeast. Rapid isolation by affinity elution, molecular weight of the enzyme, and determination of essential sulfhydryl groups.

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (EC 6.1.1.1) has been isolated from baker's yeast with an overall purification factor of more than 5000. After opening the cells, pH 4.8 precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, removal of the nucleic acids with DEAE-cellulose and chromatography on CM-Sephadex, the critical purification step is the elution of the cation-exchanger-bound tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase with tRNATyr. The homogeneous enzyme exhibits a molecular weight of 40 000 as estimated by sedimentation equilibrium centrifugation and dodecylsulfate-gel electrophoresis under reducing and non-reducing conditions. Gel filtration experiments show a molecular weight of about 100 000 indicating the existence of an active dimeric form. The possibility of proteolytic cleavage of the enzyme is excluded. The reaction of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase with p-chloromercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide reveals two repidly reacting sulfhydryl groups per subunit of molecular weight 40 000, as demonstrated by the inhibition of aminoacylation and the isolation of enzyme-inhibitor complexes. In addition an efficient purification method is described for isolating tRNATyr from soluble ribonucleic acid from baker's yeast in three chromatographic steps in a yield of 28%.     

A continuous tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase assay that regenerates the tRNA substrate

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase catalyzes the attachment of tyrosine to the 3′ end of tRNA^Tyr, releasing AMP, pyrophosphate, and l-tyrosyl-tRNA as products. Because this enzyme plays a central role in protein synthesis, it has garnered attention as a potential target for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Although high-throughput assays that monitor tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase activity have been described, these assays generally use stoichiometric amounts of tRNA, limiting their sensitivity and increasing their cost. Here, we describe an alternate approach in which the Tyr-tRNA product is cleaved, regenerating the free tRNA substrate. We show that cyclodityrosine synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be used to cleave the l-Tyr-tRNA product, regenerating the tRNA^Tyr substrate. Because tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase can use both l- and d-tyrosine as substrates, we replaced the cyclodityrosine synthase in the assay with d-tyrosyl-tRNA deacylase, which cleaves d-Tyr-tRNA. This substitution allowed us to use the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase assay to monitor the aminoacylation of tRNA^Tyr by d-tyrosine. Furthermore, by making Tyr-tRNA cleavage the rate-limiting step, we are able to use the assay to monitor the activities of cyclodityrosine synthetase and d-tyrosyl-tRNA deacylase. Specific methods to extend the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase assay to monitor both the aminoacylation and post-transfer editing activities in other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are discussed.     

Folylpolyglutamate synthetase from beef liver: purification and some properties.

The polypeptide chain of folylpolyglutamate synthetase from beef liver has been isolated and partially characterized. This polypeptide has an apparent molecular weight of 73,000. Its amino-terminal residue is blocked. Amino acid analysis agrees with the hydrophobic properties and the pI (6.0) of this cytosolic enzyme. Polyclonal antibodies to the denatured enzyme have been prepared.     

Protein engineering of homodimeric tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase to produce active heterodimers

Heterodimers of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus have been produced by mutagenesis at the subunit interface. Oppositely charged groups have been engineered into the subunits so that they can form a complementary pair. Wild-type tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase is a symmetrical dimer in which the side chains of the 2 Phe-164 residues interact at the subunit interface. Phe-164 was mutated to Asp in tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and to Lys in a truncated enzyme (des-(321-419)tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase) which lacks the two tRNA-binding sites, but which can catalyze pyrophosphate exchange. The size difference allows subunit association to be studied by gel filtration chromatography. These changes induce reversible dissociation from active dimers into inactive monomers at pH values which favor ionization at position 164. A mixture of the two mutants near neutral pH is apparently fully active in pyrophosphate exchange and consists of a heterodimer of [Asp164]tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and [Lys164]des-(321-419)tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. Despite having only one binding site for tRNA, heterodimer has full aminoacylation activity at high concentrations of tyrosine. We have therefore produced a family of dimers that differ in stability near neutral pH. This novel approach using protein engineering allows specific dimerization of subunits of the same size that have different defined mutations, each subunit being tagged by the charge. Such hybrid proteins can be used to study subunit interaction.     

Site-directed mutagenesis reveals transition-state stabilization as a general catalytic mechanism for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

Some aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases of almost negligible homology do have a small region of similarity around four-residue sequence His-Ile(or Leu or Met)-Gly-His(or Asn), the HIGH sequence. The first histidine in this sequence in the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, His-45, has been shown to form part of a binding site for the gamma-phosphate of ATP in the transition state for the reaction as does Thr-40. Residue His-56 in the valyl-tRNA synthetase begins a HIGH sequence, and there is a threonine at position 52, one position closer to the histidine than in the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. The mutants Thr----Ala-52 and His----Asn-56 have been made and their complete free energy profiles for the formation of valyl adenylate determined. Difference energy diagrams have been constructed by comparison with the reaction of wild-type enzyme. The difference energy profiles are very similar to those for the mutants Thr----Ala-40 and His----Asn-45 of the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. Thr-52 and His-56 of the valyl-tRNA synthetase contribute little binding energy to valine, ATP, and Val-AMP. Instead, the wild-type enzyme binds the transition state and pyrophosphate some 6 kcal/mol more tightly than do the mutants. Preferential transition-state stabilization is thus an important component of catalysis by the valyl-tRNA synthetase. Further, by analogy to the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, the valyl-tRNA synthetase has a binding site for the gamma-phosphate of ATP in the transition state, and this is likely to be a general feature of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases that have a HIGH region.     

The binding of tyrosinyl-5''-AMP to tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (E.coli).

The binding between tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (E.coli) and the alkylanalogue of the aminoacyladenylate, tyrosinyl-5'-AMP, has been investigated by fluorescence titrations and rapid mixing experiments. Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase has two equivalent and independent binding sites for tyrosinyl-5'-AMP. The intrinsic binding constant is 4 x 10(7)M-1. The binding sites for tRNATyr and tyrosinyl-5'-AMP are independent of each other, the anticooperative mode of tRNA binding being preserved in the presence of tyrosinyl-5-AMP.     

Natural variation of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and comparison with engineered mutants

We report the cloning and sequence analysis of the gene for the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus caldotenax and properties of the gene product. The amino acid sequence of the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase was found to be 99% homologous with the corresponding enzyme from B. stearothermophilus, with only four amino acid differences. Two of these natural variations were found to involve active site residues of the enzyme and correspond to mutations that have been engineered previously in vitro. One, Thr-51----Ala-51, produced a more active enzyme, possessing a higher value of kcat/KM for ATP. Position 51 is a "hot spot" in the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, differing in enzymes derived from Escherichia coli, B. stearothermophilus, and B. caldotenax. The other, His-48----Asn-48, is found to be a neutral mutation but is in one of the rare regions that are conserved with other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. The equivalence of histidine and asparagine at position 48 extends the homology in this region to more enzymes. These residues, His-Ile-Gly-His, and now His-Ile-Gly-Asn, form part of the binding site for ATP in the transition state of the reaction. Although B. caldotenax is an obligate thermophile with an optimal growth temperature of 80 degrees C, as much as 20 degrees C above the growth optima of strains of Bacillus stearothermophilus, its tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase has an identical thermal stability in vitro to that from B. stearothermophilus.     

Activation of D-tyrosine by Bacillus stearothermophilus tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase: 2. Cooperative binding of ATP is limited to the initial turnover of the enzyme

The activation of D-tyrosine by tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase has been investigated using single and multiple turnover kinetic methods. In the presence of saturating concentrations of D-tyrosine, the activation reaction displays sigmoidal kinetics with respect to ATP concentration under single turnover conditions. In contrast, when the kinetics for the activation reaction are monitored using a steady-state (multiple turnover) pyrophosphate exchange assay, Michaelis-Menten kinetics are observed. Previous investigations indicated that activation of l-tyrosine by the K233A variant of Bacillus stearothermophilus tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase displays sigmoidal kinetics similar to those observed for activation of d-tyrosine by the wild-type enzyme. Kinetic analyses indicate that the sigmoidal behavior of the d-tyrosine activation reaction is not enhanced when Lys-233 is replaced by alanine. This supports the hypothesis that the mechanistic basis for the sigmoidal behavior is the same for both d-tyrosine activation by wild-type tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and activation of l-tyrosine by the K233A variant. The observed sigmoidal behavior presents a paradox, as tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase displays an extreme form of negative cooperativity, known as "half-of-the-sites reactivity," with respect to tyrosine binding and tyrosyl-adenylate formation. We propose that the binding of D-tyrosine weakens the affinity with which ATP binds to the functional subunit in tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. This allows ATP to bind initially to the nonfunctional subunit, inducing a conformational change in the enzyme that enhances the affinity of the functional subunit for ATP. The observation that sigmoidal kinetics are observed only under single turnover conditions suggests that this conformational change is stable over multiple rounds of catalysis.     

Regulation of the tyrosine biosynthetic enzymes in Salmonella typhimurium: analysis of the involvement of tyrosyl-transfer ribonucleic acid and tyrosyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase

Mutants of Salmonella typhimurium were isolated that require tyrosine for growth because of an altered tyrosyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase. Extracts of one strain (JK10) contain a labile enzyme with decreased ability to transfer tyrosine to tRNA(Tyr) and a higher K(m) for tyrosine than the wild-type enzyme. Strain JK10 maintains repressed levels of the tyrosine biosynthetic enzymes when the growth rate is restricted due to limitation of charged tRNA(Tyr). Several second-site revertants of strain JK10 exhibit temperature-sensitive growth due to partially repaired, heat-labile tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. The tyrosine biosynthetic enzymes are not derepressed in thermosensitive strains grown at the restrictive temperature. A class of tyrosine regulatory mutants, designated tyrR, contains normal levels of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and tRNA(Tyr). These results suggest that charging of tRNA(Tyr) is not necessary for repression. This conclusion is substantiated by the finding that 4-aminophenylalanine, a tyrosine analogue which causes repression of the tyrosine biosynthetic enzymes, is not attached to tRNA(Tyr) in vivo, nor does it inhibit the attachment reaction in vitro. A combined regulatory effect due to the simultaneous presence of tyrS and tyrR mutations in the same strain was detected. The possibility of direct participation of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase in tyrosine regulation is discussed.     

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from wheat germ

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) was purified 5,000-fold from wheat germ extract by ultracentrifugation, precipitation with ammonium acetate, and column chromatography. Under denaturing conditions the enzyme ran as a single band on SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis with an apparent Mr of 55,000. The native molecular weight determined by gel filtration was 110,000, suggesting a quaternary structure of an alpha 2 type for native TyrRS. Purified enzyme activity, based on the aminoacylation reaction, was studied in terms of Mg2+, ATP, pH, and KCl dependence. Optimum concentrations were 6 mM Mg2+, 4 mM ATP, and 200 mM KCl at pH 8. The Km values for ATP, tyrosine, and tRNA were 40, 3.3, and 1.5 microM, respectively. The instability of the TyrRS activity and the methods used for stabilizing it are discussed. In wheat germ extract we found a second tyrosylating activity that works with Escherichia coli tRNA, but not with wheat germ tRNA. We believe that this enzyme is the mitochondrial tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase of wheat germ.     

Changes in certain aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic Acid synthetase activities in developing pea roots

Tyrosyl-, arginyl-, leucyl-, and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase activities were measured in extracts from three root sections of 3-day-old pea seedlings. The sections 0 to 2, 3 to 7, and 8 to 22 millimeters from the root tip were chosen to represent the regions of cell division, elongation, and maturation, respectively. The specific activity for each aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase was highest in the 0- to 2-millimeter section and lowest in the 8 to 22 millimeter section. The changes in specific activity between the sections, however, varied with the particular synthetase. Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from each section was fractionated into two activity regions on a diethylaminoethyl cellulose column. Approximately 10, 22, and 44% of the total tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase activity in the 0 to 2, 3 to 7, and 8- to 22-millimeter sections, respectively, were associated with the first tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase region; the remaining activity was located in the second tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase region. Only one activity region for arginyl-tRNA synthetase was detected by diethylaminoethyl cellulose column fractionation.     

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase acts as an asymmetric dimer in charging tRNA. A rationale for half-of-the-sites activity

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus is a classical example of an enzyme with half-of-the-sites activity. The enzyme crystallizes as a symmetrical dimer that is composed of identical subunits, each having a complete active site. In solution, however, tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase binds tightly, and activates rapidly, only 1 mol of Tyr/mol of dimer. It has recently been shown that the half-of-the-sites activity results from an inherent asymmetry of the enzyme. Only one subunit catalyzes formation of Tyr-AMP, and interchange of activity between subunits is not detectable over a long time scale. Paradoxically, however, the kinetics of tRNA charging are biphasic with respect to [Tyr], suggesting that both subunits of the dimer are catalytically active. This paradox has now been resolved by kinetic analysis of heterodimeric enzymes containing different mutations in each subunit. Biphasic kinetics with unchanged values of KM for Tyr are maintained when one of the two tRNA-binding domains is removed and also when the affinity of the "inactive" site for Try is reduced by 2-58-fold. The biphasic kinetics do not result from catalysis at both active sites, but instead appear to result from two molecules of Tyr binding sequentially to the same site. A second molecule of Tyr perhaps aids the dissociation of Tyr-tRNA by displacing the tyrosyl moiety from its binding site. A monomer of the enzyme is probably too small to allow both recognition and aminoacylation of a tRNA molecule. This could explain the requirement for the enzyme to function as an asymmetric dimer.     

Interdomain compactization in human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase studied by the hierarchical rotations technique

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are key enzymes of protein biosynthesis which usually possess multidomain structures. Mammalian tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase is composed of two structural modules: N-terminal catalytic core and an EMAPII-like C-terminal domain separated by long flexible linker. The structure of full-length human cytoplasmic tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase is still unknown. The structures of isolated N-terminal and C-terminal domains of the protein are resolved, but their compact packing in a functional enzyme is a subject of debates. In this work we studied putative compactization of the N- and C-terminal modules of human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase by the coarse-grained hierarchical rotations technique (HIEROT). The large number of distinct types of binding interfaces between N- and C-terminal modules is revealed in the absence of enzyme substrates. The binding propensities of different residues are computed and several binding "hot spots" are observed on the surfaces of N and C modules. These results could be used to govern atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, which will sample preferable binding interfaces effectively.     

Chemical modification of lysine residues in tyrosyl-tRNA-synthetase from cattle liver using pyridoxal-5'-phosphate]

Chemical modification of lysine residues of eukaryotic tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase was studied. It was shown that only four out of 22 lysine residues per enzyme dimer could be modified with pyridoxal-5'-phosphate. This modification led to the inactivation of tRNATyr aminoacylation by more than 90% but did not practically affect the rate of ATP-[32P]pyrophosphate exchange. Low molecular weight substrates (ATP, ATP-tyrosine) weakly protected the enzyme from inactivation, whereas tRNATyr afforded a much more effective protection. It was supposed that lysine residues of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase can be involved in the interaction with tRNATyr.     

Comparison of the catalytic roles played by the KMSKS motif in the human and Bacillus stearothermophilus trosyl-tRNA synthetases

The Class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are characterized by two signature sequence motifs, "HIGH" and "KMSKS." In Bacillus stearothermophilus tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, the KMSKS motif (230KFGKT234) has been shown to stabilize the transition state for tyrosine activation through interactions with the pyrophosphate moiety of ATP. In most eukaryotic tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases, the second lysine in the KMSKS motif is replaced by a serine or an alanine residue. Recent kinetic studies indicate that potassium functionally compensates for the absence of the second lysine in the human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (222KKSSS226). In this paper, site-directed mutagenesis and pre-steady state kinetics are used to determine the roles that serines 224, 225, and 226 play in catalysis of the tyrosine activation reaction. In addition, the catalytic role played by a downstream lysine conserved in eukaryotic tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases, Lys-231, is investigated. Replacing Ser-224 and Ser-226 with alanine decreases the forward rate constant 7.5- and 60-fold, respectively. In contrast, replacing either Ser-225 or Lys-231 with alanine has no effect on the catalytic activity of the enzyme. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the KMSSS sequence in human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase stabilizes the transition state for the tyrosine activation reaction by interacting with the pyrophosphate moiety of ATP. In addition, although they play similar roles in catalysis, the overall contribution of the KMSKS motif to catalysis appears to be significantly less in human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase than it is in the B. stearothermophilus enzyme.     

Express method of isolation of mammalian phenylalanine-tRNA-synthetase and preparation of monoclonal antibodies against this enzyme

A rapid and efficient procedure for isolating homogeneous beef liver phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (EC.6.1.1) was developed that enables to purify the enzyme 5000 fold and to achieve the activity of 8 e.a.u. per mg of protein. The molecular mass of the native enzyme was estimated to be 260 kDa, for alpha subunit - 59 kDa, and for beta - 72 kDa. Two cellular clones were derived by means of hybridization of immunised splenocytes with myeloma cells. They secrete monoclonal antibodies, designated P6 and P1 2, that bind to human placental and bovine liver phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases but not to the same enzymes from E. coli and T. thermophilus. P6 and P1 2 antibodies do not affect the aminoacylation capacity of human or bovine phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases. By immunoblotting, it was shown that P6 antibodies recognize the alpha subunit of the enzyme.     

Ligand binding and enzymic catalysis coupled through subunits in tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase.

The interaction of the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus with its substrates in the aminoacyl adenylation reaction has been studied by stopped-flow fluorescence. The observed changes have been assigned to their chemical and physical processes by comparison with equilibrium dialysis, pyrophosphate exchange kinetics and rapid quenching and sampling techniques to give the rate constants for ligand binding, the formation of tyrosyl adenylate, and the reverse reaction. The stoichiometry of tyrosine and ATP binding in the catalytic process has been determined directly by equilibrium dialysis and equilibrium gel filtration under pyrophosphate exchange conditions, i.e., where a steady state has been set up in which the equilibrium position favors starting materials. It is shown that the rate-determining step in the formation of tyrosyl adenylate involves 1 mole each of tyrosine and ATP. A second mole of tyrosine and ATP bind to the aminoacyl adenylate complex stabilizing the high-energy intermediate. The enzyme tyrosyl adenylate complex that is isolated by gel filtration is in a different conformational state from that in the presence of tyrosine and ATP.     

Purification and properties of a high-molecular-mass complex between Val-tRNA synthetase and the heavy form of elongation factor 1 from mammalian cells

In extracts of various mammalian tissues obtained in the presence of protease inhibitors Val-tRNA synthetase exists exclusively as a complex with a molecular mass of about 800 kDa. This complex was purified by gel filtration and two HPLC steps and contained five different polypeptides with molecular masses of 140, 50, 50, 40 and 30 kDa. The complex seems to have no tissue or species specificity, because preparations with identical polypeptide composition were obtained by the same method from rabbit liver and reticulocytes, and rat and beef liver. Four low-molecular-mass polypeptides were identified by two-dimensional electrophoresis as subunits of the heavy form of elongation factor 1 (EF-1H). The complex possesses the activity of EF-1 in the poly(U)-directed translation system, indicating that EF-1H is an integral part of the complex. Gel filtration of the tissue extracts reveals three different peaks of EF-1 activity, corresponding to EF-1 alpha, EF-1H and the high-molecular-mass complex of Val-tRNA synthetase and EF-1H. All activity of Val-tRNA synthetase and about 25% of EF-1 activity are associated with the complex. Different forms of EF-1 revealed no significant differences in the nucleotide-binding properties, but the complex of Val-tRNA synthetase with EF-1H was 10 times more active in the poly(U)-directed binding of Phe-tRNAPhe to ribosomes than EF-1H. These results strongly suggest that the complex of Val-tRNA synthetase with EF-1H is a novel functionally active individual form of EF-1.     

Mutants of Escherichia coli with an altered tyrosyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase

We have isolated several mutants defective in the gene for tyrosyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase (tyrS). One of these mutants is described in detail. It was isolated as a tyrosine auxotroph with defects both in the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and in the tyrosine biosynthetic enzyme, prephenate dehydrogenase. It also had derepressed levels of the tyrosine-specific 3-deoxy-d-arabinoheptulosonic acid-7-phosphate (DAHP) synthetase. The latter finding suggested that a wild-type tyrS gene was required for repression of the tyrosine biosynthetic enzymes. The following results demonstrated that this hypothesis was not correct. (i) When the defective tyrS gene was transferred to another strain, the tyrosine-specific DAHP synthetase in that strain was not derepressed, and (ii) two other mutants with defective tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases had repressed levels of the tyrosine biosynthetic enzymes. The tyrS gene was located near minute 32 on the Escherichia coli chromosome by interrupted mating experiments.