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. 1975 May;2(5):691–698. doi: 10.1093/nar/2.5.691

Maturation of a hypermodified nucleoside in transfer RNA.

P F Agris, D J Armstrong, K P Schäfer, D Söll
PMCID: PMC343621  PMID: 49880

Abstract

E. coli C6 rel- met- cys- was cultured in a fully supplemented medium and in media lacking cysteine or methionine. tRNA isolated from the three cultures containted, respectively, a normal complement of modified nucleosides; a deficiency in thiolated nucleosides and a deficiency in methylated nucleosides. Both sulfur-deficient tRNA and methyl-deficient tRNA contained large amounts of N-6- (delta-2-isopentenyl) adenosine and small amounts of the 2-methylthio derivative. Methyl-deficient tRNA contained, in addition a large amount of a cytokinin active, differently modified nucleoside that is believed to be a sulfur derivative of N6-(delta-2-isopentenyl) adenosine. The structure of this compound is unknown. When methly-deficient tRNA and the precusor the tRNA-Tyr su3-+ A25 were enzymatically methylated in vitro, methyl groups were incorporated into derivatives of isopentenyladenosine. These results indicate that the biosynthesis of the 2-methylthio derivative of isopentenyladenosine may occur in a sequential manner, i.e., thiolation of isopentenyladenosine followed by methylation.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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