Large scale isolation and some properties of AGY-specific serine tRNA from bovine heart mitochondria

A method was developed for large scale isolation of AGY-specific serine tRNA (tRNASerAGY) from bovine heart mitochondria. By this method, 5 A260 units of tRNASerAGY were recovered from 6.3 kg of bovine hearts. The nucleotide sequence was identical to that reported previously. tRNASerAGY showed abnormal melting profiles, as was predicted from its unique primary sequence. Its secondary and/or tertiary structure was analyzed by nuclease digestion method. It was suggested that three extra base pairs could occur in the anticodon stem region, with one adenosine residue protruding. The T loop was quite sensitive to nuclease S1, suggesting that the T loop doesn't interact with other regions. This finding is consistent with the model proposed by Sundaralingam (1980). tRNASerAGY was aminoacylated in vitro with only mitochondrial enzyme but not with the enzymes from E. coli and yeast. The aminoacylation rate of tRNASerAGY with mitochondrial enzyme was much faster than that of cytosolic tRNASerUCN, perhaps reflecting differences due to the presence and absence of the D arm of the tRNAs.