Extraction and purification of tRNA from fruit tissues

Readily measurable yields of undamaged tRNA were obtained from tomato, pear and apple fruits by phenolic extraction at pH 8.8, removal of interfering alcohol insoluble substances by precipitation with 0·2 volumes of iso-PrOH and final purification by DEAE chromatography. Various other commonly used extraction and purification procedures were tested and found to be less effective. Active synthetases were isolated from acidic fruit tissues by adequate control of pH and maceration in the frozen state. After acylation with a radioactively labelled amino acid, fruit isoacceptor tRNA species were separated by reverse phase chromatography.