Natural UAG suppressor glutamine tRNA is elevated in mouse cells infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus.

Two species of glutamine tRNA were isolated from mouse liver and their nucleotide sequences were determined. The minor glutamine tRNA(tRNA(UmUGGln)) that possesses UmUG (where Um stands for 2'-O-methyluridine) as the anticodon sequence was found to have suppressor activity for the UAG termination codon of tobacco mosaic virus RNA in a rabbit reticulocyte in vitro translation system. The amount of this suppressor glutamine tRNA in mouse liver was 1-2% of the amount of the major glutamine tRNA(tRNA(CUGGln)) that has the CUG anticodon sequence, but it was markedly increased in NIH 3T3 cells infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus and in Ehrlich ascites cells. These results support the hypothesis that tRNA(UmUGGln) actually functions in vivo as a suppressor tRNA that recognizes the UAG termination codon located at the gag-pol gene junction of Moloney murine leukemia virus and results in the synthesis of the virus-encoded protease.