The use of cloned tRNA genes for the purification and measurement of specific tRNAs.
We have previously reported the ability of a cloned tRNAMeti gene (pt145) to bind tRNAMeti specifically [5]. In this paper, we show that a pBR322 plasmid containing the tRNAAsn gene of Xenopus (pt38 - donated by Stuart Clarkson) will specifically bind to mouse tRNAAsn when total mouse tRNA, extracted from uninduced Friend erythroleukemia cells, is hybridized to the gene probe. One-dimensional electrophoresis of the hybridizing tRNA in 20% polyacrylamide reveals one major band and several small-molecular-weight minor bands. The hybridizing tRNA has been identified as tRNAAsn by partial RNA sequencing and the detection of both the Q base and t6A. The steady-state concentration of tRNAAsn in the uninduced Friend cell was determined by hybridizing tRNA labeled in vitro to pt38. 1% of the total tRNA hybridized, representing 0.017 pg tRNAAsn/cell. The fraction of newly synthesized tRNA representing tRNAAsn or tRNAMeti was also determined by hybridizing tRNA labeled in vivo to either pt38 or pt145, respectively. 0.96% and 0.85% of the tRNA hybridized to pt38 and pt145, respectively.
D000818:Animals; D001216:Asparagine; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000235:genetics
D001216:Asparagine; D012343:RNA, Transfer