Ascidian mitochondrial tRNA(Met) possessing unique structural characteristics
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Published on: September 14, 2014
1Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
Methionine tRNA was purified from muscle mitochondria of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi and its RNA sequence was determined. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed that unlike most metazoan mitochondrial tRNAs(Met), which have a highly conserved cytidine (C) or C-derivative at the wobble position, the H. roretzi mitochondrial tRNA(Met) possesses 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluridine (cmnm5U) at the first position of the anticodon. This is the first report of a single mitochondrial tRNA(Met) species having uridine (U) or a U-derivative at the wobble position.
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