Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from yeast: generality of chemical proofreading in the prevention of misaminoacylation of tRNA.

The specificity of valyl-, phenylalanyl-, and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases from yeast has been examined by a series of stringent tests designed to eliminate the possibility of artefactual interference. Valyl-tRNA synthetase, as well as activating a number of amino acid analogues, will accept alanine, cysteine, isoleucine, and serine in addition to threonine as substrates for both ATP-PPi exchange and transfer to some tRNAVal species. The transfer is not observed if atempts are made to isolate the appropriate aminoacyl-tRNAVal-C-C-A but its role in the overall aminoacylation can be suspected from both the formation of a stable aminoacyl-tRNAVal-C-C-A(3'NH2) compound and from the stoichiometry of ATP hydrolysis during the aminoacylation of the native tRNA. Similar tests with phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase indicate that this enzyme will also activate and transfer other naturally occurring amino acids, namely, leucine, methionine, and tyrosine. The tyrosine enzyme, which lacks the hydrolytic capacity of the other two enzymes (von der Haar, F., & Cramer, F (1976) Biochemistry 15, 4131--4138) is probably absolutely specific for tyrosine. It is concluded that chemical proofreading, in terms of an enzymatic hydrolysis of a misacylated tRNA, plays an important part in maintaining the specificity in the overall reaction and that this activity may be more widespread than has so far been suspected.