Base substitutions in the wobble position of the anticodon inhibit aminoacylation of E. coli tRNAfMet by E. coli Met-tRNA synthetase

Derivatives of E. coli tRNAfMet containing single base substitutions at the wobble position of the anticodon have been enzymatically synthesized in vitro. The procedure involves excision of the normal anticodon, CAU, by limited digestion of intact tRNAfMet with RNase A. RNA ligase is then used to join each of four trinucleotides, NAU, to the 5' half molecule and to subsequently link the 3' and modified 5' fragments to regenerate the anticodon loop. Synthesis of intact tRNAfMet containing the anticodon CAU by this procedure yields a product which is indistinguishable from native tRNAfMet with respect to its ability to be aminoacylated by E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Substitution of any other nucleotide at the wobble position of tRNAfMet drastically impairs the ability of the synthetase to recognize the tRNA. Measurement of methionine acceptance in the presence of high concentrations of pure enzyme has established that the rate of aminoacylation of the AAU, GAU and UAU anticodon derivatives of tRNAfMet is four to five orders of magnitude slower than that of the native or synthesized tRNA containing C as the wobble base. In addition, the inactive tRNA derivatives fail to inhibit aminoacylation of normal tRNAfMet, indicating that they bind poorly to the enzyme. These results support a model involving direct interaction between Met-tRNA synthetase and the C in the wobble position during aminoacylation of tRNAfMet.     

Covalent coupling of 4-thiouridine in the initiator methionine tRNA to specific lysine residues in Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase

A new method has been developed to couple a lysine-reactive cross-linker to the 4-thiouridine residue at position 8 in the primary structure of the Escherichia coli initiator methionine tRNA (tRNAfMet). Incubation of the affinity-labeling tRNAfMet derivative with E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) yielded a covalent complex of the protein and nucleic acid and resulted in loss of amino acid acceptor activity of the enzyme. A stoichiometric relationship (1:1) was observed between the amount of cross-linked tRNA and the amount of enzyme inactivated. Cross-linking was effectively inhibited by unmodified tRNAfMet, but not by noncognate tRNAPhe. The covalent complex was digested with trypsin, and the resulting tRNA-bound peptides were purified from excess free peptides by anion-exchange chromatography. The tRNA was then degraded with T1 ribonuclease, and the peptides bound to the 4-thiouridine-containing dinucleotide were purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Two major peptide products were isolated plus several minor peptides. N-Terminal sequencing of the peptides obtained in highest yield revealed that the 4-thiouridine was cross-linked to lysine residues 402 and 439 in the primary sequence of MetRS. Since many prokaryotic tRNAs contain 4-thiouridine, the procedures described here should prove useful for identification of peptide sequences near this modified base when a variety of tRNAs are bound to specific proteins.     

Peptides at the tRNA binding site of the crystallizable monomeric form of E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase.

A protein affinity labeling derivative of E. coli tRNA(fMet) carrying lysine-reactive cross-linking groups has been covalently coupled to monomeric trypsin-modified E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase. The cross-linked tRNA-synthetase complex has been isolated by gel filtration, digested with trypsin, and the tRNA-bound peptides separated from the bulk of the free tryptic peptides by anion exchange chromatography. The bound peptides were released from the tRNA by cleavage of the disulfide bond of the cross-linker and purified by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography, yielding three major peptides. These peptides were found to cochromatograph with three peptides of known sequence previously cross-linked to native methionyl-tRNA synthetase through lysine residues 402, 439 and 465. These results show that identical lysine residues are in close proximity to tRNA(fMet) bound to native dimeric methionyl-tRNA synthetase and to the crystallizable monomeric form of the enzyme, and indicate that cross-linking to the dimeric protein occurs on the occupied subunit of the 1:1 tRNA-synthetase complex.     

Identification of peptide sequences at the tRNA binding site of Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase

Four different structural regions of Escherichia coli tRNAfMet have been covalently coupled to E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) by using a tRNA derivative carrying a lysine-reactive cross-linker. We have previously shown that this cross-linking occurs at the tRNA binding site of the enzyme and involves reaction of only a small number of the potentially available lysine residues in the protein [Schulman, L. H., Valenzuela, D., & Pelka, H. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 6018-6023; Valenzuela, D., Leon, O., & Schulman, L. H. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 119, 677-684]. In this work, four of the cross-linked peptides have been identified. The tRNA-protein cross-linked complex was digested with trypsin, and the peptides attached to the tRNA were separated from the bulk of the tryptic peptides by anion-exchange chromatography. The tRNA-bound peptides were released by cleavage of the disulfide bond of the cross-linker and separated by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography, yielding five major peaks. Amino acid analysis indicated that four of these peaks contained single peptides. Sequence analysis showed that the peptides were cross-linked to tRNAfMet through lysine residues 402, 439, 465, and 640 in the primary sequence of MetRS. Binding of the tRNA therefore involves interactions with the carboxyl-terminal half of MetRS, while X-ray crystallographic data have shown the ATP binding site to be located in the N-terminal domain of the protein [Zelwer, C., Risler, J. L., & Brunie, S. (1982) J. Mol. Biol. 155, 63-81].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Lysine 335, part of the KMSKS signature sequence, plays a crucial role in the amino acid activation catalysed by the methionyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli.

The KMSKS pattern, conserved among several aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase sequences, was first recognized in the Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase through affinity labelling with an oxidized reactive derivative of tRNA(Met)f. Upon complex formation, two lysine residues of the methionyl-tRNA synthetase (Lys61 and 335, the latter being part of the KMSKS sequence) could be crosslinked by the 3'-acceptor end of the oxidized tRNA. Identification of an equivalent reactive lysine residue at the active centre of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase designated the KMSKS sequence as a putative component of the active site of methionyl-tRNA synthetase. To probe the functional role of the labelled lysine residue within the KMSKS pattern, two variants of methionyl-tRNA synthetase containing a glutamine residue at either position 61 or 335 were constructed by using site-directed mutagenesis. Substitution of Lys61 slightly affected the enzyme activity. In contrast, the enzyme activities were very sensitive to the substitution of Lys335 by Gln. Pre-steady-state analysis of methionyladenylate synthesis demonstrated that this substitution rendered the enzyme unable to stabilize the transition state complex in the methionine activation reaction. A similar effect was obtained upon substituting Lys335 by an alanine instead of a glutamine residue, thereby excluding an effect specific for the glutamine side-chain. Furthermore, the importance of the basic character of Lys335 was investigated by studying mutants with a glutamate or an arginine residue at this position. It is concluded that the N-6-amino group of Lys335 plays a crucial role in the activation of methionine, mainly by stabilizing the transient complex on the way to methionyladenylate, through interaction with the pyrophosphate moiety of bound ATP-Mg2+. We propose, therefore, that the KMSKS pattern in the structure of an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase sequence represents a signature sequence characteristic of both the pyrophosphate subsite and the catalytic centre.     

Recognition of tRNAs by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases: Escherichia coli tRNAMet and E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase

In previous work we identified several specific sites in Escherichia coli tRNAfMet that are essential for recognition of this tRNA by E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) (EC 6.1.1.10). Particularly strong evidence indicated a role for the nucleotide base at the wobble position of the anticodon in the discrimination process. We have now investigated the aminoacylation activity of a series of tRNAfMet derivatives containing single base changes in each position of the anticodon. In addition, derivatives containing permuted sequences and larger and smaller anticodon loops have been prepared. The variant tRNAs have been enzymatically synthesized in vitro by using T4 RNA ligase (EC 6.5.1.3). Base substitutions in the wobble position have been found to reduce aminoacylation rates by at least five orders of magnitude. Derivatives having base substitutions in the other two positions of the anticodon are aminoacylated 55-18,500 times slower than normal. Nucleotides that have specific functional groups in common with the normal anticodon bases are better tolerated at each of these positions than those that do not. A tRNAfMet variant having a six-membered loop containing only the CA sequence of the anticodon is aminoacylated still more slowly, and a derivative containing a five-membered loop is not measurably active. The normal loop size can be increased by one nucleotide with a relatively small effect on the rate of aminoacylation, which indicates that the spatial arrangement of the nucleotides is less critical than their chemical nature. We conclude from these data that recognition of tRNAfMet requires highly specific interactions of MetRS with functional groups on the nucleotide bases of the anticodon sequence. Several other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are known to require one or more anticodon bases for efficient aminoacylation of their tRNA substrates, and data from other laboratories suggest that anticodon sequences may be important for accurate discrimination between cognate and noncoagnate tRNAs by these enzymes.     

Covalent methionylation of Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthethase: identification of the labeled amino acid residues by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry.

Methionyl-adenylate, the mixed carboxylic-phosphoric acid anhydride synthesized by methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) is capable of reacting with this synthetase or other proteins, by forming an isopeptide bond with the epsilon-NH2 group of lysyl residues. It is proposed that the mechanism for the in vitro methionylation of MetRS might be accounted for by the in situ covalent reaction of methionyl-adenylate with lysine side chains surrounding the active center of the enzyme, as well as by exchange of the label between donor and acceptor proteins. Following the incorporation of 7.0 +/- 0.5 mol of methionine per mol of a monomeric truncated methionyl-tRNA synthetase species, the enzymic activities of [32P]PPi-ATP isotopic exchange and tRNA(Met) aminoacylation were lowered by 75% and more than 90%, respectively. The addition of tRNA(Met) protected the enzyme against inactivation and methionine incorporation. Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry designated lysines-114, -132, -142 (or -147), -270, -282, -335, -362, -402, -439, -465, and -547 of truncated methionyl-tRNA synthetase as the target residues for covalent binding of methionine. These lysyl residues are distributed at the surface of the enzyme between three regions [114-150], [270-362], and [402-465], all of which were previously shown to be involved in catalysis or to be located in the binding sites of the three substrates, methionine, ATP, and tRNA.     

Study of the interaction of Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase with tRNAfMet using chemical and enzymatic probes

The accessibility of nucleotides in Escherichia coli tRNAfMet to chemical and enzymatic probes in the presence and absence of methionyl-tRNA synthetase has been investigated. Dimethyl sulfate was used to probe the reactivity of cytosine and guanosine residues. The N-3 position of the wobble anticodon base, C34, was strongly protected from methylation in the tRNA-synthetase complex. A synthetase-induced conformational change in the anticodon loop was suggested by the enhanced reactivity of C32 in the presence of enzyme. Cytosine residues in the dihydrouridine loop and in the 3'-terminal CCA sequence showed little or no change in reactivity. Methylation of the N-7 position of guanosine residues G42, G52, and G70 was partially inhibited by the synthetase. Nuclease digestion of tRNAfMet with alpha-sarcin in the presence of 1-2 mM Mg2+ resulted in cleavage mainly at C71 in the acceptor stem and was strongly inhibited by synthetase. Other nuclease digestion experiments using the single strand specific nucleases RNase A and RNase T1 revealed weak protection of nucleotides in the D loop and strong protection of nucleotides in the anticodon on complex formation. The present data, together with previous structure-function studies on this system, indicate strong binding of methionyl-tRNA synthetase to the anticodon of tRNAfMet, leading to a change in the conformation of the anticodon loop and stem. We propose that this, in turn, produces more distant, and possibly relatively subtle, conformational changes in other parts of the tRNA structure that ultimately lead to proper orientation of the 3' terminus of the tRNA with respect to the active site of the enzyme.     

Analogs of methionyl-tRNA synthetase substrates containing photolabile groups.

Three photolabile analogs of substrates of methionyl-tRNA synthetase were synthesized. In one, the 4-thiouridine at the 8 position of E. coli tRNAfMet was alkylated with [14C]p-azidobromoacetanilide. In the second, [14C]p-azidobenzoic acid hydrazide was condensed with the 3'-terminal dialdehyde of periodate-oxidized Escherichia coli tRNAfMet. The modified tRNAs could be purified by chromatography on benzoylated DEAE-cellulose. The third photolabile compound was [3H]methioninyl-8-azido-adenosine 5'-phosphate, an analog of the methionyl adenylate intermediate in the aminoacylation reaction. Irradiation of each of these compounds in the presence of equimolar amounts of E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase of micrometer concentrations gave 5-15% crosslinking.     

Arginine-395 is required for efficient in vivo and in vitro aminoacylation of tRNAs by Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase.

We have previously shown that the anticodon of methionine tRNAs contains the major recognition site required for aminoacylation of tRNAs by Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) and have located part of the anticodon binding domain on the enzyme at a site close to Trp461 [Schulman, L. H., & Pelka, H. (1988) Science 242, 765-768; Ghosh, G., Pelka, H., & Schulman, L.H. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 2220-2225]. In order to gain information about other possible sites of contact between MetRS and its tRNA substrates, we have examined the effects of mutations at a series of positively charged residues on the surface of the C-terminal domain of the enzyme. Conversion of Arg356, Arg366, Arg380, or Arg453 to Gln had little or no effect on enzyme activity. Similarly, conversion of Lys402 or Lys439 to Asn failed to significantly alter aminoacylation activity. Conversion of Arg380 to Ala or Arg442 to Gln produced a 5-fold reduction in kcat/Km for aminoacylation of tRNAfMet, with no effect on methionine activation, indicating a possible minor role for these residues in interaction of the enzyme with the tRNA substrate. In contrast, mutation of a phylogenetically conserved residue, Arg395, to Gln increased the Km for aminoacylation of tRNAfMet about 30-fold and reduced kcat/Km by 25,000-fold. The mutant enzyme was also shown to be highly defective by its inability to complement a strain of E. coli having an altered chromosomal MetRS gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Involvement of the size and sequence of the anticodon loop in tRNA recognition by mammalian and E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetases.

The rates of the cross-aminoacylation reactions of tRNAs(Met) catalyzed by methionyl-tRNA synthetases from various organisms suggest the occurrence of two types of tRNA(Met)/methionyl-tRNA synthetase systems. In this study, the tRNA determinants recognized by mammalian or E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetases, which are representative members of the two types, have been examined. Like its prokaryotic counterpart, the mammalian enzyme utilizes the anticodon of tRNA as main recognition element. However, the mammalian cytoplasmic elongator tRNA(Met) species is not recognized by the bacterial synthetase, and both the initiator and elongator E. coli tRNA(Met) behave as poor substrates of the mammalian cytoplasmic synthetase. Synthetic genes encoding variants of tRNAs(Met), including the elongator one from mammals, were expressed in E. coli. tRNAs(Met) recognized by a synthetase of a given type can be converted into a substrate of an enzyme of the other type by introducing one-base substitutions in the anticodon loop or stem. In particular, a reduction of the size of the anticodon loop of cytoplasmic mammalian elongator tRNA(Met) from 9 to 7 bases, through the creation of an additional Watson-Crick pair at the bottom of the anticodon stem, makes it a substrate of the prokaryotic enzyme and decreases its ability to be methionylated by the mammalian enzyme. Moreover, enlarging the size of the anticodon loop of E. coli tRNA(Metm) from 7 to 9 bases, by disrupting the base pair at the bottom of the anticodon stem, renders the resulting tRNA a good substrate of the mammalian enzyme, while strongly altering its reaction with the prokaryotic synthetase. Finally, E. coli tRNA(Metf) can be rendered a better substrate of the mammalian enzyme by changing its U33 into a C. This modification makes the sequence of the anticodon loop of tRNA(Metf) identical to that of cytoplasmic initiator tRNA(Met).     

tRNA recognition site of Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase

We have previously shown that anticodon bases are essential for specific recognition of tRNA substrates by Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) [Schulman, L. H., & Pelka, H. (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 6755-6759] and that the enzyme tightly binds to C34 at the wobble position of E. coli initiator methionine tRNA (tRNAfMet) [Pelka, H., & Schulman, L. H. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 4450-4456]. We have also previously demonstrated that an affinity labeling derivative of tRNAfMet can be quantitatively cross-linked to the tRNA binding site of MetRS [Valenzuela, D., & Schulman, L. H. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 4555-4561]. Here, we have determined the site in MetRS which is cross-linked to the anticodon of tRNAfMet, as well as the location of four additional cross-links. Only a single peptide, containing Lys465, is covalently coupled to C34, indicating that the recognition site for the anticodon is close to this sequence in the three-dimensional structure of MetRS. The D loop at one corner of the tRNA molecule is cross-linked to three peptides, containing Lys402, Lys439, and Lys596. The 5' terminus of the tRNA is cross-linked to Lys640, near the carboxy terminus of the enzyme. Since the 3' end of tRNAfMet is positioned close to the active site in the N-terminal domain [Hountondji, C., Blanquet, S., & Lederer, F. (1985) Biochemistry 24, 1175-1180], this result indicates that the carboxy ends of the two polypeptide chains of native dimeric MetRS are folded back toward the N-terminal domain of each subunit.     

Alteration of the kinetic parameters for aminoacylation of Escherichia coli formylmethionine transfer RNA by modification of an anticodon base.

Treatment of Escherichia coli formylmethionine tRNA with 2 M sodium bisulfite, pH 7.0, in 10 mM MgCl2 at 25 degrees results in formation of uridine/bisulfite adducts at U18 in the dihydrouridine loop, U37 in the anticodon, and U48 in the variable loop. Two products, corresponding to the two diastereoisomers of 5,6-dihydrouridine-6-sulfonate, are formed at each reactive site in the tRNA. Although none of the modifications cause complete loss of methionine acceptor activity, the modified tRNA is amino-acylated at a reduced rate and has a decreased affinity for E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Aminoacylation of [35S]bisulfite-labeled tRNAfMet with a limiting amount of purified enzyme followed by separation of the acylated and unacylated molecules and structural analysis has shown that the presence of a specific diastereoisomer of the uridine/bisulfite adduct in the anticodon base U37 alters the kinetic parameters for aminoacylation of tRNAfMet.     

Attachment of protein affinity-labeling reagents of variable length and amino acid specificity to E. coli tRNAfMet.

Transamination with bifunctional amines in the presence of bisulfite has been used to attach side chains of variable length to the N4-position of single stranded cytidine residues in E. coli tRNAfMet. Such side chains, terminating in reactive primary amino groups, have been coupled to a variety of N-hydroxysuccinimide esters. The resulting modified tRNAs carry protein affinity labeling groups capable of covalent reaction with a variety of amino acids.     

Complete inactivation and labeling of methionyl-tRNA synthetase by periodate-treated initiator tRNA in the presence of sodium cyanohydridoborate.

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli can react with periodate-treated tRNA to form a Schiff's base through the epsilon-amino group of a lysine within the enzymic active center and the 2',3'-aldehyde groups created at the 3'-terminal ribose of tRNA. At alkaline pH, the Schiff's base equilibrium can be continuously and specifically displaced by reduction in situ with sodium cyanohydridoborate, which on the other hand leaves intact the reacting aldehyde groups of oxidized tRNA. The effects of temperature, pH and of reducing agent concentration on the rate and extent of reduction of the Schiff's base are analysed. Conditions are described (37 degrees C, pH 8.0, in the presence of 1 mM cyanohydridoborate) which allowed rapid and complete conversion of the monomeric trypsin-modified methionyl-tRNA synthetase into its 1:1 covalent complex with tRNAfMet.     

Escherichia coli tyrosyl- and methionyl-tRNA synthetases display sequence similarity at the binding site for the 3'-end of tRNA

Covalent modification of Escherichia coli tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) by the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of tRNATyr (tRNAox) resulted in a time-dependent inactivation of both ATP-PPi exchange and tRNA aminoacylation activities of the enzyme. In parallel with the inactivation, covalent incorporation of approximately 1 mol of [14C]tRNATyrox/mol of the dimeric synthetase occurred. Intact tRNATyr protected the enzyme against inactivation by the tRNA dialdehyde. Treatment of the TyrRS-[14C]tRNATyr covalent complex with alpha-chymotrypsin produced two labeled peptides (A and B) that were isolated and identified by sequence analysis. Peptides A and B are adjacent and together span residues 227-244 in the primary structure of the enzyme. The three lysine residues in this sequence (lysines-229, -234, and -237) are labeled in a mutually exclusive fashion, with lysine-234 being the most reactive. By analogy with the known three-dimensional structure of the homologous tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus, these lysines should be part of the C-terminal domain which is presumed to bind the cognate tRNA. Interestingly, the labeled TyrRS structure showed significant similarities to the structure around the lysine residue of E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase which is the most reactive toward tRNAMetf(ox) (lysine-335) [Hountondji, C., Blanquet, S., & Lederer, F. (1985) Biochemistry 24, 1175-1180].     

New insights into protein crosslinking via the Maillard reaction: structural requirements,the effect on enzyme function,and predicted efficacy of crosslinking inhibitors as anti-ageing therapeutics

Protein crosslinking via the Maillard reaction with alpha-dicarbonyl compounds has been the subject of intense literature scrutiny. We report here a systematic study of three previously-neglected aspects of the reaction. Firstly, structural requirements were probed. An arginine-free peptide that contains two lysine residues, and a lysine-free peptide that contains arginine, were reacted with glyoxal, methylglyoxal and biacetyl. Methylglyoxal was able to crosslink in the absence of arginine residues, but glyoxal and biacetyl were not. Glyoxal crosslinked the lysine-free peptide via the N-terminus, but methylglyoxal and biacetyl could not. In this study, crosslinking did not require the presence of arginine but did require a free amino group, from a lysine residue, or the N-terminus. Thus specificity in structural requirements for protein crosslinking by alpha-dicarbonyls has been demonstrated. Secondly, protein function following glycation was examined by treating ribonuclease A with the three alpha-dicarbonyls, which were shown both to crosslink the enzyme and impair enzymatic activity. Thirdly, the effects of two reported Maillard reaction inhibitors, aminoguanidine and 3,5-dimethylpyrazole-1-carboxamidine on the crosslinking reaction were assessed, with a parallel measurement of the effect on enzyme activity. The results demonstrate that preventing protein crosslinking does not necessarily preserve enzyme activity. These results cast doubt on the likely efficacy of some purported anti-ageing compounds in vivo.     

In vitro conversion of a methionine to a glutamine-acceptor tRNA

A derivative of Escherichia coli tRNAfMet containing an altered anticodon sequence, CUA, has been enzymatically synthesized in vitro. The variant tRNA was prepared by excision of the normal anticodon, CAU, in a limited digestion of intact tRNAfMet with RNase A, followed by insertion of the CUA sequence into the anticodon loop with T4 RNA ligase and polynucleotide kinase. The altered methionine tRNA showed a large enhancement in the rate of aminoacylation by glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase and a large decrease in the rate of aminoacylation by methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Measurement of kinetic parameters for the charging reaction by the cognate and noncognate enzymes revealed that the modified tRNA is a better acceptor for glutamine than for methionine. The rate of mischarging is similar to that previously reported for a tryptophan amber suppressor tRNA containing the anticodon CUA, su+7 tRNATrp, which is aminoacylated with glutamine both in vivo and in vitro [Yaniv, M., Folk, W. R., Berg, P., & Soll, L. (1974) J. Mol. Biol. 86, 245-260; Yarus, M., Knowlton, R. E., & Soll, L. (1977) in Nucleic Acid-Protein Recognition (Vogel, H., Ed.) pp 391-408, Academic Press, New York]. The present results provide additional evidence that the specificity of aminoacylation by glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase is sensitive to small changes in the nucleotide sequence of noncognate tRNAs and that uridine in the middle position of the anticodon is involved in the recognition of tRNA substrates by this enzyme.     

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase-induced conformational change of Escherichia coli tRNAfMet

Ribonuclease T2, nuclease S1, and snake venom phosphodiesterase were used as a structural probe for investigation of the interaction between Escherichia coli tRNAfMet and methionyl-tRNA synthetase, and the cleavage sites were analyzed by a rapid sequencing gel electrophoresis of 5'-32P-labeled tRNA. Both endonucleases cleaved the D-loop of synthetase-bound tRNA much more extensively than that of the free tRNA. Positions of A14, G15, A22, and G23 in the D-loop and C35 in the anticodon of the synthetase-bound tRNA were more susceptible to RNase T2. The synthetase-bound tRNA was predominantly cleaved by nuclease S1 at position of G15, G19, G20, and G23 in the D-loop and G2 in the acceptor stem. In contrast, the synthetase-bound tRNA was more resistant to the 3'-exonuclease, snake venom phosphodiesterase, than was the free tRNA molecule. These results suggest conformational change of the tRNA by the synthetase binding which weakened tertiary interaction between the D-loop and T psi C-loop/extra-loop. Production of acid-soluble radioactivity was also examined in the limited digestion of 5'-32P-labeled tRNA or 3'-14C-labeled methionyl-tRNA. The synthetase enhanced the release of acid-soluble oligonucleotides from the 5'-end of the tRNA but suppressed that from the 3'-end of the molecule. These results are consistent with that obtained by gel electrophoresis.