Purification of isoacceptor transfer RNA by affinity coupling to aldehyde-containing matrix

A method has been developed for the affinity coupling of aminoacyl-tRNA to an aldehyde-containing polymer by means of reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride. Sephadex dialdehyde obtained from periodate oxidation of Sephadex G-50, and Enzacryl polyaldehyde obtained from hydrolysis of Enzacryl polyacetal, were found to provide the requisite polymeric matrix. This coupling reaction permitted the rapid purification of isoacceptor tRNAs of Escherichia coli for the alpha-amino acids glycine, valine, and arginine, as well as the alpha-imino acid proline.