TRNA-Dependent Import of a Transit Sequence-Less Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase (LeuRS2) into the Mitochondria of Arabidopsis.

ABSTRACT: Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AaRS) charge tRNAs with amino acids for protein translation. In plants, cytoplasmic, mitochondrial, and chloroplast AaRS exist that are all coded for by nuclear genes and must be imported from the cytosol. In addition, only a few of the mitochondrial tRNAs needed for translation are encoded in mitochondrial DNA. Despite considerable progress made over the last few years, still little is known how the bulk of cytosolic AaRS and respective tRNAs are transported into mitochondria. Here, we report the identification of a protein complex that ties AaRS and tRNA import into the mitochondria of Arabidopsis thaliana. Using leucyl-tRNA synthetase 2 (LeuRS2) as a model for a mitochondrial signal peptide (MSP)-less precursor, a ≈30 kDa protein was identified that in

SUBMITTER: Reinbothe S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8067559 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature