The interaction of wheat germ tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and the tRNA-like end of brome mosaic virus RNA has no effect on in vitro viral protein synthesis and on in vitro encapsidation

Abstract

The effect of aminoacylation of the tRNA-like end of brome mosaic virus RNA during in vitro protein synthesis and in vitro viral encapsidation was investigated. The components of the homologous system were: BMV RNA, wheat germ cell-free protein synthesizing system and pure tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from wheat germ. During in vitro protein synthesis directed with tyrosylated as well as non-tyrosylated BMV RNA, no differences were observed in the amount and in the class of polypeptides formed neither in the velocity of the translation reaction. Excess active TyrRS was added during in vitro translation, without modifying the translation efficiency. BMV RNA and active TyrRS were preincubated prior to translation in order to interact without the translation system components and then subjected to translation in vitro. Similar results were obtained when BMV RNA was preincubated with inactive TyrRS or BSA. These results indicate that the aminoacylation of BMV RNA has no pronounced effect on viral protein synthesis in vitro. During BMV RNA encapsidation either tyrosylated or non-tyrosylated BMV RNA 4 could be encapsidated in a similar way.