Chemical basis for brain-specific serine transfer RNAs.

Serine tRNA from rat brain can be resolved into six isoaccepting species. Three of these species show the same chromatographic behavior as the seryl tRNAs from other rat organs, whereas the remaining species appear to be specific for brain. The isoacceptor tRNAs were purified to homogeneity by chromatography on benzoylated DEAE-cellulose followed by reversed-phase chromatography. We found that the additional species of serine tRNA in brain differ from their counterparts derived from other rat organs by a lack of a specific guanosine ribose-methylation in the dihydrouridine loop. In addition, when total liver tRNA was compared with total brain tRNA, the same degree of undermethylation with respect to 2'-O-methylguanosine was found as a general phenomenon.