title: Formylatable methionine transfer RNA from Mycoplasma: purification and comparison of partial nucleotide sequences with those of other prokaryotic initiator tRNAs.
abstract: The major species of the formylatable methionine tRNA from Mycoplasma mycoides var capri has been purified. The 5'- and 3'-terminal sequences of the purified tRNA are pC-G- and C-A-A-C-C-AOH, respectively. Thus, this tRNA also contains the unique structural feature found in two other prokaryotic initiator tRNAs in that the first nucleotide at the 5'-end cannot form a Watson-Crick type of base-pair to the fifth nucleotide from the 3'-end. The Mycoplasma tRNA does not contain ribothymidine; however, a specific uridine residue in the sequence G-U-psi-C-G- can be enzymatically methylated by E. coli extracts to yield G-T-psi-C-G. Since ribothymidine is absent in crude tRNA from this strain of  Mycoplasma, the absence of T is probably due to the lack of a U yields T modifying enzyme.
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003090:Coliphages / Q000201:enzymology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D005561:Formates; D005815:Genetic Code; D008715:Methionine; D009176:Mycoplasma mycoides / Q000032:analysis*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012260:Ribonucleases; D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005561:Formates; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012343:RNA, Transfer; D008715:Methionine; D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases; D012260:Ribonucleases