Misacylation of specific nonmethionyl tRNAs by a bacterial methionyl-tRNA synthetase.

ABSTRACT: Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases perform a critical step in translation by aminoacylating tRNAs with their cognate amino acids. Although high fidelity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases is often thought to be essential for cell biology, recent studies indicate that cells tolerate and may even benefit from tRNA misacylation under certain conditions. For example, mammalian cells selectively induce mismethionylation of nonmethionyl tRNAs, and this type of misacylation contributes to a cell's response to oxidative stress. However, the enzyme responsible for tRNA mismethionylation and the mechanism by which specific tRNAs are mismethionylated have not been elucidated. Here we show by tRNA microarrays and filter retention that the methionyl-tRNA synthetase enzyme from Escherichia coli (EcMRS) is sufficient

SUBMITTER: Jones TE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3084089 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature