Valylation of the two RNA components of turnip-yellow mosaic virus and specificity of the tRNA aminoacylation reaction

Abstract

A comparative study of the aminoacylation of the two RNA components of turnip yellow mosaic virus, of yeast tRNAVal, tRNAfMet and of tRNAPhe by purified yeast valyl-tRNA synthetase is reported. Aminoacylations were performed in the presence of pure yeast tRNA nucleotidyltransferase, since 85% of the viral RNA molecules lacked the 3'-adenosine. We find that aminoacylation of the viral RNAs, like tRNA aminoacylation, reflects an equilibrium between the acylation and deacylation reactions. The kinetic parameters of TYM virus RNA valylation resemble the values found for tRNAVal valylation; in particular, there is a strong affinity between the viral RNA and valyl-tRNA synthetase and the rate constant for TYM virus RNA valylation is only slightly lower than that for tRNAVal. This result contrasts with the reduced rates observed in tRNA mischarging, and suggests that the viral RNA could be easily aminoacylated in vivo. Considering the fact that the 3'-terminal sequence of TYM virus RNA has only a few points of resemblance to a tRNA sequence, we propose that there are some structural motifs found in both tRNAVal and TYM virus RNA which are brought in a similar spatial arrangement recognized by valyl-tRNA synthetase.