Biosynthesis of mammalian transfer RNA. Evidence for regulation by deacylated transfer RNA

The rate of tRNA synthesis in cultured Friend leukemia cells has been examined as a function of the variation in polyribosome structure produced by treatment with a variety of inhibitors of protein synthesis. The results indicate, in contrast to the conclusions of Bölcsföldi (Bölcsföldi, G. (1974) Exp. Cell Res., 88, 231--240), that no necessary relationship exists between the ribosome distribution and the rate of tRNA synthesis. Alternatively, it is observed that inhibitors of tRNA aminoacylation cause, in all cases, a decrease in the rate of tRNA synthesis whereas drugs which may stimulate the aminoacylation of tRNA cause, in all cases, an elevation of the rate of tRNA synthesis. It is concluded that tRNA synthesis in mammalian cells may be regulated by the relative levels of acylated and deacylated tRNA.