TY - JOUR
T1 - Taurine-containing uridine modifications in tRNA anticodons are required to decipher non-universal genetic codes in ascidian mitochondria
AU - Suzuki, Takeo
AU - Miyauchi, Kenjyo
AU - Suzuki, Tsutomu
AU - Yokobori, Shin Ichi
AU - Shigi, Naoki
AU - Kondow, Akiko
AU - Takeuchi, Nono
AU - Yamagishi, Akihiko
AU - Watanabe, Kimitsuna
PY - 2011/10/14
Y1 - 2011/10/14
N2 - Variations in the genetic code are found frequently in mitochondrial decoding systems. Four non-universal genetic codes are employed in ascidian mitochondria: AUA for Met, UGA for Trp, and AGA/AGG(AGR) for Gly. To clarify the decoding mechanism for the non-universal genetic codes, we isolated and analyzed mitochondrial tRNAs for Trp, Met, and Gly from an ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi. Mass spectrometric analysis identified 5-taurinomethyluridine (τm 5U) at the anticodon wobble positions of tRNA Met(AUR), tRNA Trp(UGR), and tRNA Gly-(AGR), suggesting that τm 5U plays a critical role in the accurate deciphering of all four non-universal codes by preventing the misreading of pyrimidine-ending near-cognate codons (NNY) in their respective family boxes. Acquisition of the wobble modification appears to be a prerequisite for the genetic code alteration.
AB - Variations in the genetic code are found frequently in mitochondrial decoding systems. Four non-universal genetic codes are employed in ascidian mitochondria: AUA for Met, UGA for Trp, and AGA/AGG(AGR) for Gly. To clarify the decoding mechanism for the non-universal genetic codes, we isolated and analyzed mitochondrial tRNAs for Trp, Met, and Gly from an ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi. Mass spectrometric analysis identified 5-taurinomethyluridine (τm 5U) at the anticodon wobble positions of tRNA Met(AUR), tRNA Trp(UGR), and tRNA Gly-(AGR), suggesting that τm 5U plays a critical role in the accurate deciphering of all four non-universal codes by preventing the misreading of pyrimidine-ending near-cognate codons (NNY) in their respective family boxes. Acquisition of the wobble modification appears to be a prerequisite for the genetic code alteration.
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U2 - 10.1074/jbc.M111.279810
DO - 10.1074/jbc.M111.279810
M3 - Article
C2 - 21873425
AN - SCOPUS:80053911456
SN - 0021-9258
VL - 286
SP - 35494
EP - 35498
JO - Journal of Biological Chemistry
JF - Journal of Biological Chemistry
IS - 41
ER -