Does the evolutionary history of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases explain the loss of mitochondrial tRNA genes?
The importation of cytosolic tRNAs is required for protein synthesis in the mitochondria of the wide variety of eukaryotes that lack a complete set of mitochondrial tRNA genes. The evolutionary history of the process, however, is still enigmatic. The analysis presented here suggests that the loss of distinct mitochondrial tRNA genes was not random and that it might be explained by the differential capabilities of mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases to charge imported eukaryotic-type tRNAs with amino acid.
Schneider
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Dept of Biology/Zoology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland. andre.schneider@unifr.ch
D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077278:RNA, Mitochondrial; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D000077278:RNA, Mitochondrial; D012313:RNA; D012343:RNA, Transfer; D000604:Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases