title: Transfer RNA methytransferases and their corresponding modifications in budding yeast and humans: activities, predications, and potential roles in human health.
abstract: Throughout the kingdoms of life, transfer RNA (tRNA) undergoes over 100 enzyme-catalyzed, methyl-based modifications. Although a majority of the methylations are conserved from bacteria to mammals, the functions of a number of these modifications are unknown. Many of the proteins responsible for tRNA methylation, named tRNA methyltransferases (Trms), have been characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast, only a few human Trms have been characterized. A BLAST search for human homologs of each S. cerevisiae Trm revealed a total of 34 human proteins matching our search criteria for an S. cerevisiae Trm homolog candidate. We have compiled a database cataloging basic information about each human and yeast Trm. Every S. cerevisiae Trm has at least one human homolog, while several Trms have multiple candidates. A search of cancer cell versus normal cell mRNA expression studies submitted to Oncomine found that 30 of the homolog genes display a significant change in mRNA expression levels in at least one data set. While 6 of the 34 human homolog candidates have confirmed tRNA methylation activity, the other candidates remain uncharacterized. We believe that our database will serve as a resource for investigating the role of human Trms in cellular stress signaling.
authors.affiliation: College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany, Albany, New York 12203, USA.
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Towns
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Begley
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D030562:Databases, Protein; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013045:Species Specificity; D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012359:tRNA Methyltransferases