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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Isolation of Translating Ribosomes Containing Peptidyl-tRNAs for Functional and Structural Analyses
Published on: February 25, 2011
Bacterial wobble modifications of NNA-decoding tRNAs
Emil M Nilsson1, Rebecca W Alexander1
1Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Abstract:
Nucleotides of transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are highly modified, particularly at the anticodon. Bacterial tRNAs that read A-ending codons are especially notable. The U34 nucleotide canonically present in these tRNAs is modified by a wide range of complex chemical constituents. An additional two A-ending codons are not read by U34-containing tRNAs but are accommodated by either inosine or lysidine at the wobble position (I34 or L34). The structural basis for many N34 modifications in both tRNA aminoacylation and ribosome decoding has been elucidated, and evolutionary conservation of modifying enzymes is also becoming clearer. Here we present a brief review of the structure, function, and conservation of wobble modifications in tRNAs that translate A-ending codons. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 2019 © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(8):1158-1166, 2019.
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