McClain W H, Foss K
Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
Science. 1988 May 6;240(4853):793-6. doi: 10.1126/science.2452483.
Although the genetic code for protein was established in the 1960's, the basis for amino acid identity of transfer RNA (tRNA) has remained unknown. To investigate the identity of a tRNA, the nucleotides at three computer-identified positions in tRNAPhe (phenylalanine tRNA) were replaced with the corresponding nucleotides from tRNAAla (alanine tRNA). The identity of the resulting tRNA, when examined as an amber suppressor in Escherichia coli, was that of tRNAAla.
尽管蛋白质的遗传密码在20世纪60年代就已确立，但转运RNA（tRNA）氨基酸特异性的基础仍然未知。为了研究一种tRNA的特异性，将苯丙氨酸tRNA（tRNAPhe）中通过计算机识别出的三个位置的核苷酸替换为丙氨酸tRNA（tRNAAla）中的相应核苷酸。当将所得tRNA作为琥珀抑制子在大肠杆菌中进行检测时，其特异性与丙氨酸tRNA相同。
