[Modification of phenylalanyl-tRNA-synthetase from Escherichia coli MRE600 by adenosine-5'-trimetaphosphate].

Modification of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from E. coli MRE600 by adenosine-5'-trimetaphosphate, phosphorylating analog of ATP was shown to bring about the enzyme inactivation in the reactions of tRNA aminoacylation and ATP-[32P]pyrophosphate exchange. ATP when added in the reaction mixture protects the enzyme against inactivation in both reactions and decreases the level of covalent attachment of the analog. Phenylalanine has no protective effect. tRNA exhibits slight protective effect. Adenosine-5'-trimetaphosphate modifies both types (alpha and beta) of subunits of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase which is of alpha 2 beta 2 structure. ATP protects both types of the enzyme subunits against the covalent attachment of the analog. Disposition of the ATP-binding centers in the contact region of the nonequivalent subunits of the enzyme was proposed. The level of covalent attachment of the analog to the enzyme exceeds the number of the enzyme active sites that may be a consequence of the other nucleotide-binding center labeling.