The NAM2 proteins from S. cerevisiae and S. douglasii are mitochondrial leucyl-tRNA synthetases, and are involved in mRNA splicing.

We have cloned and sequenced the NAM2 gene of Saccharomyces douglasii, which is a homologue of the NAM2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The wild-type S.douglasii gene possesses the suppressor functions of the mutant S. cerevisiae NAM2-1 allele, being able to cure a mitochondrial b14 maturase deficiency. By sequence comparisons and direct measurements we have demonstrated that the NAM2 genes encode mitochondrial leucyl tRNA synthetases (EC 6.1.1.4.). Using a derivative of the NAM2 gene, where the expression of the gene is under the control of the UAS GAL10, we have shown that the processing of the pre-mRNA from the two mosaic genes oxi3 and cob-box is impaired when transcription of the gene is repressed. These results lead us to conclude that the mitochondrial leucyl tRNA synthetase is involved in protein synthesis and mRNA splicing. Sequence comparisons show that the mitochondrial and Escherichia coli leucyl tRNA synthetases are highly homologous; however, significant features which may be important for the splicing functions of the mitochondrial enzymes are absent from the bacterial enzyme.