Synthesis and function of isopentenyl adenosine derivatives in tRNA.

Isopentenyl adenosine derivatives can be found next to the anticodon (position 37) in tRNA from both the Bacteria and Eucarya domains. These modified nucleosides improve the efficiency of tRNA in translation, can increase and decrease translational fidelity, and make the tRNA less codon context sensitive. In bacteria the synthesis of isopentenyl adenosine derivatives seems to be linked to iron metabolism and central metabolic pathways.