Structure and processing of yeast precursor tRNAs containing intervening sequences.

We have isolated a precursor of yeast tRNATyr and shown that it contains an intervening sequence identical to that found in the gene for tRNATyr. The conformation of pre-tRNATyr is similar to that of mature tRNATyr except for the anticodon loop. The loop is sensitive to endonucleolytic cleavage by S1 nuclease near to the ends of the intervening sequence. This pre-tRNA is functionally inactive as it cannot be aminoacylated and the anticodon is not accessible for hydrogen bonding. A crude nuclear extract from yeast contains an excision-ligase activity which will process pre-tRNATyr into mature tRNATyr.