A unique serine-specific elongation factor Tu found in nematode mitochondria |
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Authors: | Ohtsuki Takashi Sato Aya Watanabe Yoh-ichi Watanabe Kimitsuna |
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Institution: | Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan. |
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Abstract: | The translation elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) delivers aminoacyl-tRNAs to ribosomes by recognizing the tRNA acceptor and T stems. However, the unusual truncation observed in some animal mitochondrial tRNAs seems to prevent recognition by a canonical EF-Tu. For instance, nematode mitochondria contain tRNAs lacking a T or D arm. We recently found an atypical EF-Tu (EF-Tu1) specific for nematode mitochondrial tRNAs that lack the T arm. We have now discovered a second factor, EF-Tu2, which binds only to tRNAs that lack a D arm. EF-Tu2 seems unique in its amino acid specificity because it recognizes the aminoacyl moiety of seryl-tRNAs and the tRNA structure itself. Such EF-Tu evolution might explain tRNA structural divergence in animal mitochondria. |
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