title: Aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis in Archaea.
abstract: The mechanism of aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis differs substantially between Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Sequencing of archaeal genomes has suggested that the asparaginyl-, cysteinyl-, glutaminyl- and lysyl-tRNA synthetases are absent from a number of organisms in this kingdom. The absence of the asparaginyl- and glutaminyl-tRNA synthetases is in agreement with the observation that Asn-tRNA and Gln-tRNA are synthesized by tRNA-dependent transamidation of Asp-tRNA and Glu-tRNA respectively in the archaeon Haloferax volcanii. Biochemical and genetic studies have now shown that while the cysteinyl- and lysyl-tRNA synthetases are present, the enzymes responsible for these activities are unique to Archaea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8114, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibba
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Celic
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curnow
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pelaschier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tumbula
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vothknecht
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Woese
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Söll
mesh_terms: D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019622:Haloferax volcanii / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008250:Lysine-tRNA Ligase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012346:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012346:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl; D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases; C019975:cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase; D008250:Lysine-tRNA Ligase