Crystal structure of the aspartyl-tRNA synthetase from Entamoeba histolytica

The crystal structure of the aspartyl-tRNA synthetase from the eukaryotic parasite Entamoeba histolytica has been determined at 2.8Aresolution. Relative to homologous sequences, the E. histolytica protein contains a 43-residue insertion between the N-terminal anticodon binding domain and the C-terminal catalytic domain. The present structure reveals that this insertion extends an arm of the hinge region that has previously been shown to mediate interaction of aspartyl-tRNA synthetase with the cognate tRNA D-stem. Modeling indicates that this Entamoeba-specific insertion is likely to increase the interaction surface with the cognate tRNA(Asp). In doing so it may substitute functionally for an RNA-binding motif located in N-terminal extensions found in AspRS sequences from lower eukaryotes but absent in Entamoeba. The E. histolytica AspRS structure shows a well-ordered N-terminus that contributes to the AspRS dimer interface.