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The mesl- mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cease division and accumulate in the G1 interval of the cell cycle when deprived of methionine or shifted from 23 to 36 degrees C in the presence of methionine. Synchronous cell cycle arrest results from a deficiency of charged methionyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (methionyl-tRNAMet) as shown by direct measurement of the in vivo pools of methionine, S-adenosylmethionine, and methionyl-tRNAMet. The deficiency of methionyl-tRNAMet in these cells is the consequence of a lesion in a single gene, mes1. mes1 appears to be the structural gene for the methionyl-tRNA synthetase because some revertants of this mutation exhibited a thermolabile methionyl-tRNA synthetase in vitro. A sufficient hypothesis to explain these and previous results is that the control of cell division by S. cerevisiae in response to nutrient limitation is mediated through aminoacyl-tRNA or subsequent steps in protein biosynthesis.

Three photolabile analogs of substrates of methionyl-tRNA synthetase were synthesized. In one, the 4-thiouridine at the 8 position of E. coli tRNAfMet was alkylated with [14C]p-azidobromoacetanilide. In the second, [14C]p-azidobenzoic acid hydrazide was condensed with the 3'-terminal dialdehyde of periodate-oxidized Escherichia coli tRNAfMet. The modified tRNAs could be purified by chromatography on benzoylated DEAE-cellulose. The third photolabile compound was [3H]methioninyl-8-azido-adenosine 5'-phosphate, an analog of the methionyl adenylate intermediate in the aminoacylation reaction. Irradiation of each of these compounds in the presence of equimolar amounts of E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase of micrometer concentrations gave 5-15% crosslinking.

Native isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase and a structurally modified form of methionyl-tRNA synthetase were purified to homogeneity following trypsinolysis of the high molecular weight complex from sheep liver containing eight aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. The correspondence between purified isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase and the previously unassigned polypeptide component of Mr 139 000 was established. It is shown that dissociation of this enzyme from the complex has no discernible effect on its kinetic parameters. Both isoleucyl- and methionyl-tRNA synthetases contain one zinc ion per polypeptide chain. In both cases, removal of the metal ion by chelating agents leads to an inactive apoenzyme. As the trypsin-modified methionyl-tRNA synthetase has lost the ability to associate with other components of the complex [Mirande, M., Kellermann, O., & Waller, J. P. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 11049-11055], the zinc ion is unlikely to be involved in complex formation. While native purified isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase displays hydrophobic properties, trypsin-modified methionyl-tRNA synthetase does not. It is suggested that the assembly of the amino-acyl-tRNA synthetase complex is mediated by hydrophobic domains present in these enzymes.

Methioninyl adenylate is a specific and potent inhibitor of the enzyme methionyl-tRNA synthetase and, consequently, of protein biosynthesis. In cultures of chick embryo fibroblasts infected with Rous sarcoma virus, incubation for a 2-day period with 1 to 3 mM concentrations of this inhibitor, as late as 4 days after infection, irreversibly prevented subsequent formation of foci of transformed cells. Later addition could also elicit the irreversible disappearance of already existing foci, by phenotypic reversion and/or cell killing. Virus production in transformed cells and replication in newly infected cells were also inhibited but to a lesser degree. Under the same conditions, the same concentrations of methioninyl adenylate caused only a reversible growth arrest of normal cells. The selective toxicity of the inhibitor for transformed cells is not due to a greater affinity for the target enzyme, but it may be due to the fact that inhibition of protein biosynthesis is only partially reversible in these cells, whereas it is fully reversible in normal cells.

Conformations of tRNAfMet, free and methionyl-tRNA synthetase bound forms, are analyzed by using singlet-singlet energy transfer as a spectroscopic ruler. tRNAfMet(8-13,3'-Flc), tRNAfMet(8-13,D-Etd), and tRNAfMet(3'-Flc,D-Etd) are prepared by sequential chemical modifications. The methionyl-tRNA synthetase binding affinity of these double-labeled tRNAfMets is similar to those of unmodified tRNAfMet. The fluorescence properties of the individual fluorophore in these tRNAs, including emission spectra, anisotropy, and quenching by methionyl-tRNA synthetase, are similar to those of single-labeled tRNAfMet. The transfer efficiencies of double-labeled tRNAfMets, as determined by both donor quenching and sensitized emission, showed efficient energy transfer in all cases. Random orientation being assumed, the apparent distances are 25 A between 8-13 and D20, 44 A between 8-13 and the 3'-terminus, and 49 A between the 3'-terminus and D20, respectively, in free tRNAfMet. Upon binding of methionyl-tRNA synthetase, the apparent distances are 25 A between 8-13 and D20, 45 A between 8-13 and the 3'-terminus, and 54 A between the 3'-terminus and D20, respectively. These results provide topographic models of these specific locations in free and methionyl-tRNA synthetase bound tRNAfMet and suggest that the immobilized 3'-terminal arm in the amino acid acceptor stem bends toward the inner loop of the L-shaped tRNA upon binding of methionyl-tRNA synthetase.

A procedure for the rapid purification of a truncated form of the Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase has been developed. With this procedure, final yields of approximately 3 mg of truncated methionyl-tRNA synthetase per gram of cells, carrying the plasmid encoding the gene for the truncated synthetase [Barker, D.G., Ebel, J.-P., Jakes, R.,Bruton, C.J. (1982) Eur. J. Biochem. 127, 449], can be obtained. The catalytic properties of the purified truncated synthetase were found to be identical with those of the native dimeric and trypsin-modified methionyl-tRNA synthetases. A rapid procedure for obtaining milligram quantities of the enzyme is necessary before the efficient incorporation of stable isotopes into the synthetase becomes practical for physical studies. With this procedure, truncated methionyl-tRNA synthetase labeled with [methyl-13C]methionine was purified from an Escherichia coli strain auxotrophic for methionine and containing the plasmid encoding the gene for the truncated methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Both carbon-13 and proton observe-heteronuclear detect NMR experiments were used to observe the 13C-enriched methyl resonances of the 17 methionine residues in the truncated synthetase. In the absence of ligands, 13 of the 17 methionine residues could be resolved by carbon-13 NMR. Titration of the synthetase, monitoring the chemical shifts of resonances B and M (Figure 3), with a number of amino acid ligands and ATP yielded dissociation constants consistent with those derived from binding and kinetic data, indicating active site binding of the ligands under the conditions of the NMR experiment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The reaction scheme of methionyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli with the initiator tRNAsMet from E. coli and rabbit liver, respectively, has been resolved. The statistical rate constants for the formation, kR, and for the dissociation, kD, of the 1:1 complex of these tRNAs with the dimeric enzyme have been calculated. Identical kR values of 250 μm−1 s−1 reflect similar behaviour for antico-operative binding of both tRNAsMet to native methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Advantage was taken of the difference in extent of tryptophan fluorescence-quenching induced by the bacterial and mammalian initiator tRNAsMet to measure the mode of exchange of these tRNAs antico-operatively bound to the enzyme. Analysis of the results reveals that antico-operativity does not arise from structural asymmetric assembly of the enzyme subunits. Indeed, both subunits can potentially bind a tRNA molecule. Exchange between tRNA molecules can occur via a transient complex in which both sites are occupied. Either strong and weak sites reciprocate between subunits on the transient complex or occupation of the weak site induces symmetry of this complex. While in the present case, these two alternatives are kinetically indistinguishable, they do account for the observation that, upon increasing the concentration of the competing mammalian tRNA, the rate of exchange of the E. coli initiator tRNAMet is enhanced, due to its faster rate of dissociation from the transient complex. Finally, it has been verified that in the case of the trypsin-modified methionyl-tRNA synthetase which cannot provide more than one binding site for tRNA, exchange of enzymebound bacterial tRNA by mammalian tRNA does proceed to a limiting rate independent of the mammalian tRNA concentration present in the solution.

Wheat -embryo methionyl-tRNA synthetase is a dimeric protein of beta2 structure. When highly diluted, it loses the capacity to catalyze ATP-[32P]PPi exchange and to aminoacylate tRNAMet: at low enzymatic concentrations the rates of formation of[32P]ATP and [14C]methionyl-tRNAMet are lower than those predicatedby extrapolating the rates determined at higher enzyme concentrations. The difference between observed and expected rates becomes greater with decreasing enzyme concentration. Filtration of purified, dilute enzyme preparations on Sephadex G-200 results in the separation of dimer and monomer fractions. The proportion of monomer present increases with increasing pre-incubation times before the assay and demonstrates an equilibrium between active dimers and being shifted towards the production of monomers. Datapreviously gathered for Escherichia coli prolyl-tRNA synthetase and for bovine-pancreatic tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase, coupled with the present results, suggests that the dissociation of dimeric synthetases may be a general phenomenon in eukaryotes as well as in prokaryotes. The number of sub-units and the dissociation constant were obtained at equilibrium, according to relations adapted to the case of oligomeric enzymes (KD congruent to 13 nM at 25 degrees C and pH 7.5). Rate constants were determined by kinetic studies of the attainment of equilibrium. The rate constant k1 for monomolecular dissociation was determined to be 1.85- 10-3 s-1 and k2 for the bimolecular association to be 0.145 - 106 M-1 s-1. The KD calculated from k1 and k2 was coherent with the experimentally determined value, at equilibrium. The sub-unit interactions, which involve only a small quantity of energy (delta G degree congruent to + 11 kcal mol-1; +45 kJ mol-1) at 25 degrees C, depend on the ionic environment of the medium and the presence of substrates. Alkaline pH favors monomer production, while the presence of methionine, (Mg-ATP)2- and tRNAMet protect the synthetase from dissociation. 2-mercaptoethanol and dithioerythritol prevent only slightly the loss of activity. Bovine serum albumin, however, protects the enzyme from dissociation under dilute conditions.

The chromosomal mes 1 mutation appears to elevate the Km of methionine for yeast methionyl-tRNA synthetase. The mutation was cloned on a multicopy plasmid by gap repair of a plasmid bearing the wild type MES1 gene for a fragment corresponding to the mes 1 mutation. DNA sequencing established that the mutation consists of a single conversion of guanine into adenine which results in the replacement of a glycine by an aspartic acid at position 502. This causes the enzyme to be labile and inactive in vitro and to show a requirement for high concentrations of methionine in vivo. The mutation is in the COOH-terminal domain of the mononucleotide binding fold of the yeast enzyme and suggests participation of this region in the binding of the amino acid residue.

Total methionine-tRNA synthetases from wild type Saccharomycescerevisiae can be fractionated on hydroxylapatite into two peaks: Peak I is the mitochondrial, peak II the cytoplasmic isoenzyme. The specificity towards various tRNAs and the antigenic determinants are not identical. A mutant strain, known for its altered cytoplasmic enzyme, contains a mitochondrial species with the same properties as the wild type mitochondrial enzyme, as well as a cytoplasmic isoenzyme with a KM for methionine about 300 times higher than the corresponding wild type enzyme. Another strain, obtained by back-crossing the mutant with a wild type strain, retains the enzyme pattern found in the mutant. The results are in favor of two distinct nuclear genes for yeast mitochondrial and cytoplasmic methionyl-tRNA synthetases.

Native dimeric methionyl-tRNA synthetase and its monomeric proteolytic fragment are shown to form and to bind 1 mol of methyionyl adenylate per polypeptide chain. Moreover, at 25 degrees C, each monomer of the dimeric native enzyme behaves independently, exhibiting the same parameters for the methionine activation reaction as does the monomeric modified enzyme. These results were obtained using several independent methods including equilibrium and nonequilibrium dialysis, active site and tryptophan fluorescence titrations, and stopped-flow by fluorescence. Stopped-flow resolution of the reversible methionine activation reaction also demonstrates that methionine and ATP-Mg2+ react without coupling to form a ternary enzyme-methionine-ATP-Mg2+ complex. This complex readily converts to enzyme-methionyl approximately adenylate-PP-Mg2+ with a standard free energy close to zero. It is concluded that the uncoupled enzyme-methionine-ATP-Mg2+ complex may resemble the transition state of the reaction at the expense of the additional state of the reaction at the expense of the additional synergistic binding energy provided by reciprocal coupling, within the site, of the methionine molecule with the adenosine and PP-Mg2+ parts of the ATP-Mg2+ molecule (Blanguet, S., Fayat, G., and Waller, J. P. (1975), J. Mol. Biol. 94, 1.).

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase from sheep lactating mammary gland is found predominantly in the form of high-molecular-weight complexes. Controlled proteolysis of these aggregates generates a low-molecular-weight species of the enzyme with full maintenance of activity as assessed by the rate of aminoacylation of tRNA. The product of proteolysis, which has been purified to homogeneity with a yield of 23%, is a monomeric enzyme of molecular weight 78 000. It has a specific activity of 405 units/mg at 25 degrees C. These findings clearly demonstrate that the aggregated state of methionyl-tRNA synthetase is not a prerequisite for full expression of catalytic activity. Furthermore, the results emphasize the need to provide effective protection against proteolytic damage in studies dealing with the characterization of high-molecular-weight complexes of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

Met-tRNA synthetase from Phaseolus vulgaris cytoplasm could be separated from its chloroplastic or mitochondrial counterpart by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, but the Met-tRNA synthetase from the two latter organelles could not be distinguished using DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite or CM-Sephadex chromatography. As revealed by reverse-phase chromatography, bean cytoplasm contains 2 tRNAs Met ; only one is charged by chloroplast, mitochondrial or Escherichia coli Met-tRNA synthetase. Mitochondria contain, in addition to the 2 cytoplasmic tRNAs Met , 3 mitochondria-specific tRNAs Met ; 2 can be formylated by the mitochondrial or the E. coli transformylase; all 3 are charged by mitochondrial, chloroplastic or E, coli Met-tRNA synthetase; none is charged by the cytoplasmic enzyme. Chloroplasts contain, in addition to the 2 cytoplasmic tRNAs Met , 3 chloroplast-specific tRNAs Met , different from the mitochondrial tRNAs Met ; one is formylatable by the chloroplastic or the E. coli transformylase; all 3 are charged by chloroplastic, mitochondrial or E. coli Met-tRNA synthetase; only one is charged by the cytoplasmic enzyme. Of the 3 E. coli tRNAs Met , only the formylatable species can be charged by bean cytoplasmic, chloroplastic or mitochondrial Met-tRNA synthetase.

Protein affinity labeling groups have been attached to single-stranded cytidine residues in four structural regions of tRNAfMet. Modification of the tRNA with an average of one cross-linking group per molecule is achieved with retention of 75% of the original methionine acceptor activity. Incubation of the modified tRNA with methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) results in covalent coupling of the protein and nucleic acid by reaction of N-hydroxysuccinimide ester groups attached to the tRNA with lysine residues in the enzyme. In the presence of excess MetRS, approximately 30% of the input tRNA can be covalently bound to protein, indicating that lysine residues are appropriately oriented for reaction with cross-linking groups attached to certain sites in the tRNA but not to others. The cross-linking reaction results in loss of aminoacylation activity of MetRS equal to the amount of covalently bound tRNA. Enzyme activity is restored by release of bound tRNA following cleavage of the disulfide bond of the cross-linker with a sulfhydryl reagent. The data indicate that cross-linking occurs at the tRNA binding site of the enzyme. In the presence of excess modified tRNAfMet, a maximum of 1 mol of tRNA is cross-linked per mol of MetRS, in keeping with the known anticooperative tRNA binding properties of the native dimeric synthetase. In addition, the coupling reaction is effectively inhibited by unmodified tRNAfMet, but not by noncognate tRNAs.

Six methionine auxotrophs were isolated from an E. coli K-12 strain which required up to 100 times as much methionine for growth as a conventional auxotroph. In these mutants, the methionyl-tRNA synthetase had an increased Km for methionine. The Km value for the mutants ranged from 0.48 to 1.63 mM, compared to 0.078 mM for the wild type. The Km (methionine) for S-adenosyl methionine synthetase was not altered.

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) has been described as a free monomeric or oligomeric enzyme; or included in a multienzyme complex. Moreover, on limited tryptic digestion, it can generate shorter forms. So, when purified from wheat-germ lysate, the possible presence of proteases able to hydrolyse this enzyme was investigated. When extraction was performed with sulfhydryl-blocking reagents, an active monomeric MetRS of Mr 105,000 was purified. This enzyme form was identical to the structure exhibiting methionyl-tRNA synthetase activity in multienzyme complexes. Without this inhibitor, MetRS was purified as an active dimeric form of Mr 165,000 with identical subunits of Mr 82,000. A protease inhibited by sulfhydryl-blocking reagents and included in a complex of Mr 2.10(6) was isolated from this wheat-germ lysate. This protease was able to hydrolyse different proteins (albumin, casein), but was without activity for a trypsin substrate, such as N-alpha-benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide. When added to a solution of Mr-105,000 MetRS, it yielded an inactive peptide of Mr 20,000, containing numerous charged amino acids and a protein of Mr 82,000, able to give an active dimeric enzyme of Mr 165,000. Amino acid analysis of this last form, indicated an identical structure with the active dimeric MetRS of Mr 165,000, purified in the absence of protease inhibitors. Moreover, the affinity for methionine was the same for the monomeric enzyme of Mr 105,000 and the dimeric form of Mr 165,000, probably because proteolysis did not affect the catalytic domain. When enzymic activity of the proteolyzed form (Mr 2 x 82,000) was studied versus enzyme concentration, a decrease in specific activity, at low concentrations, was seen. This phenomenon was analysed on the basis of the existence of an equilibrium between an active dimer and two inactive monomers. With the active monomeric form of Mr 105,000, no change in specific activity with decreasing enzyme concentration occurred.

A new method has been developed to couple a lysine-reactive cross-linker to the 4-thiouridine residue at position 8 in the primary structure of the Escherichia coli initiator methionine tRNA (tRNA/sup fMet/). Incubation of the affinity-labeling tRNA/sup fMet/ derivative with E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) yielded a covalent complex of the protein and nucleic acid and resulted in loss of amino acid acceptor activity of the enzyme. A stoichiometric relationship (1:1) was observed between the amount of cross-linked tRNA and the amount of enzyme inactivated. Cross-linking was effectively inhibited by unmodified tRNA/sup fMet/, but not by noncognate tRNA/sup Phe/. The covalent complex was digested with trypsin, and the resulting tRNA-bound peptides were purified from excess free peptides by anion-exchange chromatography. The tRNA was then degraded with T1 ribonuclease, and the peptides bound to the 4-thiouridine-containing dinucleotide were purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Two major peptide products were isolated plus several minor peptides. N-Terminal sequencing of the peptides obtained in highest yield revealed that the 4-thiouridine was cross-linked to lysine residues 402 and 439 in the primary sequence of MetRS. Since many prokaryotic tRNAs contain 4-thiouridine, the procedures described here should prove useful for identification of peptide sequences near this modified basemore » when a variety of tRNAs are bound to specific proteins.« less

Previous work from our laboratory identified several specific sites in Escherichia coli tRNAfMet that are essential for recognition of this tRNA by E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (EC 6.1.1.10). Particularly strong evidence indicated a role for the nucleotide base at the wobble position of the anticodon in the discrimination process. To further investigate the structural requirements for recognition in this region, we have synthesized a series of tRNAfMet derivatives containing single base changes in each position of the anticodon. In addition, derivatives containing permuted sequences and larger and smaller anticodon loops have been prepared. The variant tRNAs have been enzymatically synthesized in vitro. The procedure involves excision of the normal anticodon, CAU, by limited digestion of intact tRNAfMet with pancreatic RNase. This step also removes two nucleotides from the 3' CpCpA end. T4 RNA ligase is used to join oligonucleotides of defined length and sequence to the 5' half-molecule and subsequently to link the 3' and modified 5' fragment to regenerate the anticodon loop. The final step of the synthesis involves repair of the 3' terminus with tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. The synthetic derivative containing the anticodon CAU is aminoacylated with the same kinetics as intact tRNAfMet. Base substitutions in the wobble position reduce aminoacylation rates by at least five orders of magnitude. The rates of aminoacylation of derivatives having base substitutions in the other two positions of the anticodon are 1/55 to 1/18,500 times normal. Nucleotides that have specific functional groups in common with the normal anticodon bases are better tolerated at each of these positions than those that do not. A tRNAfMet variant having a six-membered loop containing only the CA sequence of the anticodon is aminoacylated still more slowly, and a derivative containing a five-membered loop is not measurably active. The normal loop size can be increased by one nucleotide with a relatively small effect on the rate of aminoacylation, indicating that the spatial arrangement of the nucleotides is less critical than their chemical nature. We conclude from these data that recognition of tRNAfMet requires highly specific interactions of methionyl-tRNA synthetase with functional groups on the nucleotide bases of the anticodon sequence.

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus, a dimer of molecular weight 2 X 85K, is converted by limited subtilisin digestion into a fully active monomeric fragment of molecular weight 64K. The reversible methionine activation reaction of these enzymes was followed through the variation of the intensity of their trypotophan fluorescence. Equilibrium and stopped-flow experiments show that the rate and mechanism for adenylate formation supported by the monomeric derivative are undistinguishable from those of each adenylating site of the native dimeric enzyme. In contrast, the rate of tRNA aminoacylation is improved upon limited proteolysis of the native enzyme. This behavior can be related to the anticooperativity of the binding of tRNA molecules to native dimeric enzyme. Accordingly, at 25 degrees C, the dimer might behave as a half-of-the-sites enzyme with only one active tRNA site at a time, compared to two after limited proteolysis with consequent irreversible disociation into two 64K fragments. Another modified form of the enzyme is obtained through limited tryptic digestion. This derivative is completely devoid of activity although its molecular weight under nondenaturating conditions remains undistinguishable from that of the 64K fragment generated by subtilisin. Denaturation reveals that this tryptic derivative is composed of two subfragments with molecular weights of 33K and 29K, respectively. The same fragments may also be directly obtained through limited tryptic digestion of the subtilsic fragment. Interestingly, although trypsin treatment has abolished the activity of the enzyme, fluorescence studies demonstrate that the ATP and methionine binding sites have remained intact. It is shown that the effect of the internal cut made by trypsin into the active 64K fragment has been to considerably depress the "coupling" between the methionine and nucleotide binding sites. Finally, the rate of inactivation of the enzyme by trypsin is observed to be substantially decreased by in situ synthetized methionyl adenylate but not by tRNA. These properties and others are discussed in relation to the problem of its significance of repeating sequences and structural "domains" within the class of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

We have isolated interspecific somatic cell hybrids between a temperature-sensitive Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell methioninyl -tRNA synthetase mutant and human peripheral leukocytes. The hybrids were selected at 39 degrees C which requires the retention and expression of the human gene, MARS , which complements the defective CHO gene. In vitro heat-inactivation experiments on the methioninyl -tRNA synthetase activity in cell-free extracts from heat-resistant hybrids indicate that the human form of this enzyme and, therefore, the human MARS gene is present in hybrid cells. Cytogenetic analysis of three independent temperature-resistant hybrids revealed the presence of a single human chromosome, number 12. Two other independent hybrids examined contained human chromosome 12 as well as a second human chromosome. Electrophoretic analysis of extracts from hybrid cell lines for a human chromosome 12 marker isozyme, LDH-B, showed a pattern of heterotetrameric bands consistent with the presence of the human form of this enzyme in these cells. The correlation between the presence of the human form of methioninyl -tRNA synthetase and human chromosome 12 in temperature-resistant hybrids indicates that the human MARS locus is located on this chromosome.

A procedure for the simultaneous isolation of seryl- and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from yeast is described. In addition some other synthetases as well as tRNA nucleotidyltransferase can be obtained in an enriched state. The isolated seryl- and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases were compared to earlier preparations with respect to purity, specific activity, and structure. Previous investigations with fluorescence spectroscopy and kinetic methods were complemented and extended by experiments on the specificity of aminoacylation and on the isolation, by sucrose gradient centrifugation, of complexes between synthetase and tRNA or tRNA fragments. A protection of synthetases against inactivation by addition of substrates was observed. The dissociation of seryl-tRNA synthetase, at low concentrations, into monomer subunits was investigated by chemical modification with bifunctional reagents and by kinetic experiments. By modification of SH-groups fluorescent dyes were incorporated into both, seryl- and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase which retained most of their activity. The binding of tRNAPhe to phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase which had been modified with pyrene maleimid was followed by fluorescence intensity measurements.

Two methionine: tRNA ligases (here called ligase A and ligase B) with distinctly different enzymatic and molecular properties were isolated in homogeneous form from extracts of raw wheat germ. Both the A and B enzyme are composed of single polypeptide chains of Mr 105 000 and 70 000 respectively. The smaller molecule (B) has been shown not to be a proteolytic fragment of the larger one (A). The catalytic properties of both the A and B enzymes have been established and the Mg2+ -dependent capacity to charge six purified methionine-accepting tRNAs have been compared to those of the methionine: tRNA ligases from Escherichia coli and bakers' yeast. The possible reasons for the presence of two methionine: tRNA ligases and their unusual monomeric nature are discussed.

Covalent modification of Escherichia coli tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) by the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of tRNATyr (tRNAox) resulted in a time-dependent inactivation of both ATP-PPi exchange and tRNA aminoacylation activities of the enzyme. In parallel with the inactivation, covalent incorporation of approximately 1 mol of [14C]tRNATyrox/mol of the dimeric synthetase occurred. Intact tRNATyr protected the enzyme against inactivation by the tRNA dialdehyde. Treatment of the TyrRS-[14C]tRNATyr covalent complex with alpha-chymotrypsin produced two labeled peptides (A and B) that were isolated and identified by sequence analysis. Peptides A and B are adjacent and together span residues 227-244 in the primary structure of the enzyme. The three lysine residues in this sequence (lysines-229, -234, and -237) are labeled in a mutually exclusive fashion, with lysine-234 being the most reactive. By analogy with the known three-dimensional structure of the homologous tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus, these lysines should be part of the C-terminal domain which is presumed to bind the cognate tRNA. Interestingly, the labeled TyrRS structure showed significant similarities to the structure around the lysine residue of E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase which is the most reactive toward tRNAMetf(ox) (lysine-335) [Hountondji, C., Blanquet, S., & Lederer, F. (1985) Biochemistry 24, 1175-1180].

The trypsin-modified methionyl-tRNA synthetase, a monomer of molecular weight 64 × 103, binds one molecule of tRNAMetf with strong affinity. A separation of about 25is observed between the centres of mass of the protein and the tRNA in the 1 : 1 complex. This can be reconciled with data on the contact regions only if a conformational change is assumed for the tRNA upon binding, probably involving the CCA end. The protein moiety of the complex might be slightly more contracted than in the free conformation, but this effect is not clearly outside experimental error. There is no apparent change in the protein structure as a function of MgCl2 concentration or of added small ligands. In conditions of 10 m m -MgCl2 and limiting tRNA, a 2 : 1, enzyme: tRNA complex is formed, the second enzyme binding with considerably lower affinity. The aggregate dissociates in favour of the 1:1 complex upon increasing tRNA concentration. The results are discussed in the context of the mode of action of the dimeric native enzyme.

Four different structural regions of Escherichia coli tRNAfMet have been covalently coupled to E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) by using a tRNA derivative carrying a lysine-reactive cross-linker. We have previously shown that this cross-linking occurs at the tRNA binding site of the enzyme and involves reaction of only a small number of the potentially available lysine residues in the protein [Schulman, L. H., Valenzuela, D., & Pelka, H. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 6018-6023; Valenzuela, D., Leon, O., & Schulman, L. H. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 119, 677-684]. In this work, four of the cross-linked peptides have been identified. The tRNA-protein cross-linked complex was digested with trypsin, and the peptides attached to the tRNA were separated from the bulk of the tryptic peptides by anion-exchange chromatography. The tRNA-bound peptides were released by cleavage of the disulfide bond of the cross-linker and separated by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography, yielding five major peaks. Amino acid analysis indicated that four of these peaks contained single peptides. Sequence analysis showed that the peptides were cross-linked to tRNAfMet through lysine residues 402, 439, 465, and 640 in the primary sequence of MetRS. Binding of the tRNA therefore involves interactions with the carboxyl-terminal half of MetRS, while X-ray crystallographic data have shown the ATP binding site to be located in the N-terminal domain of the protein [Zelwer, C., Risler, J. L., & Brunie, S. (1982) J. Mol. Biol. 155, 63-81].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Both the aminoacylation and isotopic ATP-PPi exchange activities of native and trypsin-modified methionyl–tRNA synthetases from Escherichia coli are specifically inactivated by incubation in the presence of periodate-treated initiator tRNAMet. The inactivation proceeds through the formation of a reversible Schiff's base between the ɛ-amino group of a lysine within the catalytic center of the enzyme and the 2′,3′-aldehyde groups created at the 3′-terminal ribose of tRNA. The Schiff's base may be stabilized by reduction with sodium borohydride. Intact tRNAfMet competes with the inactivation by its dialdehyde. It has been verified in the case of the modified enzyme that the protection is afforded according to an equilibrium constant identical to that for tRNAfMet binding at the active site of the enzyme. Finally it is shown that the incorporation of one molecule of the dialdehyde of [14C]tRNA completely destroys the activity of the monomeric trypsin-modified methionyl-tRNA synthetase.

Three overlapping clones of cDNA, Mos43, Mos28 and Mos60, coding for methionyl-tRNA synthetase were obtained by screening the Oryza sativa lambda gt11 library. Their nucleotide sequence of 2850 bp was determined. The deduced amino-acid sequence of the isolated clones contains a HLGN and KFSKS motifs, which are conserved for this family of enzymes and have been proposed to be the signature sequences for class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. A comparison of the rice MetRS primary structure with those deposited in EMBL/GenBank points to its high homology to yeast, human and Caenorhabditis elegans MetRSs. Interestingly, a great similarity of its C terminus to endothelial-monocyte-activating polypeptide II (EMAPII) and yeast protein G4p1 was observed.

Accumulating evidence suggests that homocysteine (Hcy) metabolite, the thioester Hcy-thiolactone, plays an important role in atherothrombosis. Hcy-thiolactone is a product of an error-editing reaction in protein biosynthesis which forms when Hcy is mistakenly selected by methionyl-tRNA synthetase. The thioester chemistry of Hcy-thiolactone underlies its ability to from isopeptide bonds with protein lysine residues, which impairs or alters protein's function. Protein targets for the modification by Hcy-thiolactone include fibrinogen, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, albumin, hemoglobin, and ferritin. Pathophysiological consequences of protein N-homocysteinylation include protein and cell damage, activation of an adaptive immune response and synthesis of auto-antibodies against N-Hcy-proteins, and enhanced thrombosis caused by N-Hcy-fibrinogen. Recent development of highly sensitive chemical and immunohistochemical assays has allowed verification of the hypothesis that the Hcy-thiolactone pathway contributes to pathophysiology of the vascular system, in particular of the prediction that conditions predisposing to atherosclerosis, such as genetic or dietary hyperhomocysteinemia, lead to elevation of Hcy-thiolactone and N-Hcy-protein. This prediction has been confirmed in vivo both in humans and in mice. For example, plasma Hcy-thiolactone was found to be elevated 59-72-fold in human patients with hyperhomocysteinemia secondary to mutations in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) or cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) genes. Plasma N-Hcy-protein levels are elevated 24-30-fold in MTHFR- or CBS-deficiency, both in human patients and in mice. Plasma and urinary Hcy-thiolactone and plasma N-Hcy-protein levels are also elevated up to 30-fold in mice fed a hyperhomocysteinemic (1.5% methionine) diet. Furthermore, plasma levels of prothromobogenic N-Hcy-fibrinogen were elevated in human CBS deficiency, which explains increased atherothrombosis observed in CBS-deficient patients. We also observed increased immunohistochemical staining for N-Hcy-protein in aortic lesions from ApoE-deficient mice with hyperhomocysteinemia induced by a high methionine diet, relative to the mice fed a normal chow diet. We conclude that genetic or dietary hyperhomocysteinemia significantly elevates proatherothrombotic metabolites Hcy-thiolactone and N-Hcy-proteins in humans and mice.

Background Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MARS) catalyzes the ligation of methionine to its cognate transfer RNA and therefore plays an essential role in protein biosynthesis. Methods We used exome sequencing, aminoacylation assays, homology modeling, and immuno-isolation of transfected MARS to identify and characterize mutations in the methionyl-tRNA synthetase gene (MARS) in an infant with an unexplained multi-organ phenotype. Results We identified compound heterozygous mutations (F370L and I523T) in highly conserved regions of MARS. The parents were each heterozygous for one of the mutations. Aminoacylation assays documented that the F370L and I523T MARS mutants had 18 ± 6% and 16 ± 6%, respectively, of wild-type activity. Homology modeling of the human MARS sequence with the structure of E. coli MARS showed that the F370L and I523T mutations are in close proximity to each other, with residue I523 located in the methionine binding pocket. We found that the F370L and I523T mutations did not affect the association of MARS with the multisynthetase complex. Conclusion This infant expands the catalogue of inherited human diseases caused by mutations in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes.

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS, 2 X 75 kDa) was purified to homogeneity from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. The polypeptide chain of MetRS was cleaved by limited digestion with trypsin into four domains: T1 (29 kDa), T2 (23 kDa), T3 (14.5 kDa), and T4 (7.5 kDa), which were aligned in that order. MetRS was also cleaved into similar fragments with a variety of other proteases. Domains T1, T2, T3, and T4 were isolated by column chromatography. "Tandem domain" T1-T2 (56 kDa) is fully active in the aminoacylation of tRNA and is further cleaved with trypsin into domains T1 and T2. Domain T1 is the smallest aminoacylation unit so far reported. Domain T2 (enzymatically inactive) interacts with tRNAMetf, as found by UV-induced cross-linking. Isolated domain T3 forms a dimer and is responsible for the dimer assembly of two protomers in MetRS. Domain T4 is a flexible tail of MetRS. These domains, in particular T1 and T2, will be important for detailed structure analyses in relation to aminoacylation activity.

Compared with the parental strain, a Spirulina platensis mutant that is resistant to ethionine incorporated methionine into protein at a reduced rate, whereas ethionine incorporation was practically nil. The methionyl-tRNA synthetase present in crude extracts from the resistant strain showed a reduced affinity for methionine and ethionine.

The gene for the methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8, was cloned and sequenced. By expression of the T. thermophilus MetRS gene in Escherichia coli cells, thermostable MetRS was overproduced and purified to homogeneity by heat treatment and one-step column chromatography. The amino acid sequence of T. thermophilus MetRS showed low identities (approximately 25%) with those of MetRSs from E. coli, and cytoplasm and mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the amino acid residues in the binding sites for ATP and the anticodon and the 3' terminus of tRNA(Met) are highly conserved among the four MetRSs. T. thermophilus MetRS has a zinc finger-like sequence with all the three cysteine residues and a histidine residue. By site-directed mutagenesis of one of the cysteine residues (Cys127) of T. thermophilus MetRS, the SH group was found to be important for methionyl-tRNA synthesis. Just upstream of the structural gene for T. thermophilus MetRS there is a short open reading frame which codes for a methionine-rich peptide and is partly overlapped with an alternative terminator/antiterminator structure, suggesting that transcription of this gene is regulated by attenuation. Further upstream a region contains a nucleotide sequence homologous to that of the 5' half of T. thermophilus initiator tRNA(Met).

We have analyzed, by site-directed mutagenesis, the molecular basis of the editing function and its relation to the synthetic function of Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase. The data obtained fit a model of the active site that partitions an amino acid substrate between synthetic and editing pathways. Hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions direct the cognate substrate methionine through the synthetic pathway and prevent it from entering the editing pathway. Two hydrophobic interactions are proposed: between the side chain of Trp-305 and a methyl group of methionine and between the benzene ring of Tyr-15 and the beta- and gamma-CH2 groups of the substrate. An essential hydrogen bond forms between the OH of Tyr-15 and an electron pair of the sulfur atom of methionine. Consistent with these functions, side chains of Trp-305 and Tyr-15 are localized on opposite sides of the cavity forming a putative methionine binding pocket that is observed in the three-dimensional crystallographic structure of methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Enzymes W305A, Y15A, and Y15F have diminished ability to discriminate against homocysteine in the synthetic reaction, compared to the wild-type enzyme. At the same time, mutant enzymes have lost the ability to discriminate against methionine in the editing reaction and edited Met-AMP to a similar extent as Hcy-AMP. Interactions of residues Arg-233 and Asp-52 of methionyl-tRNA synthetase with the carboxyl and amino groups, respectively, of the substrate, which are essential for the synthetic function, were also essential for the editing function of the enzyme. Deacylation of Met-tRNA to S-methylhomocysteine thiolactone catalyzed by W305A, Y15A, and Y15F mutant enzymes was only slightly impaired relative to the wild-type enzyme. However, enzymes R233Q, R233A, and D52A did not deacylate Met-tRNA. The model also explains why the noncognate homocysteine is edited by methionyl-tRNA synthetase.

A cyclic sulfonium compound, S-methyl homocysteine thiolactone (SMHT), is formed from methionine during in vitro tRNA aminoacylation catalyzed by Escherichia coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase. The mechanism of SMHT formation involves enzymatic deacylation of Met-tRNA (k = 0.06 s-1) and, to a lesser extent, Met-AMP (k = 0.02 s-1). Cyclization of methionine, reminiscent of cyclization of homocysteine during editing, illustrates the limited ability of methionyl-tRNA synthetase to discriminate against the cognate methionine at the editing site designed for the noncognate homocysteine. In early stages of biotic evolution, SMHT, a sulfonium compound, may have fulfilled the present day methyl donor function of S-adenosylmethionine. Existing homologies between methionyl-tRNA synthetase and S-adenosylmethionine synthetase indicate evolutionary relatedness of the two proteins.

Previous in vitro studies have established a pre-transfer proofreading mechanism for editing of homocysteine by bacterial methionyl-, isoleucyl-, and valyl-tRNA synthetases. The unusual feature of the editing is the formation of a distinct compound, homocysteine thiolactone. Now, two-dimensional TLC analysis of 35S-labeled amino acids extracted from cultures of the bacterium Escherichia coli reveals that the thiolactone is also synthesized in vivo. In E. coli, the thiolactone is made from homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by methionyl-tRNA synthetase. One molecule of homocysteine is edited as thiolactone per 109 molecules of methionine incorporated into protein in vivo. These results not only directly demonstrate that the adenylate proofreading pathway for rejection of misactivated homocysteine operates in vivo in E. coli but, in general, establish the importance of error-editing mechanisms in living cells.

Sequence comparisons among methionyl-tRNA synthetases from different organisms reveal only one block of homology beyond the lasts β strand of the mononucleotide fold. We have introduced a series of semi-conservative amino acid replacements in the conserved motif of yeast methionyl-tRNA synthetase. The results indicate that replacements of two polar residues (Asn584 and Arg588) affected specifically the aminoacylation reaction. The location of these residues in the tertiary structure of the enzyme is compatible with a direct interaction of the amino acid side-chains with the tRNA anticodon.

Stereochemical analysis has long been recognised as a powerful tool for elucidating the mechanisms of chemical and enzyme-catalysed reactions. Although much is known about the stereochemical course of reactions at saturated carbon, phosphate and thiophosphate esters whose ligands to phosphorus are also tetrahedrally disposed, are capable in principle of revealing sterochemical information about events at the active site of enzymes that transform such substrates. Nucleotidyl transferases are a group of enzymes which in general selectively use one of the diastereoisomers of a nucleoside 5'(1-thiotriphosphate), such as isomers A and B of adenosine 5'(1-thiotriphosphate), designated ATP alpha S-A and ATP alpha S-B, and allow investigation of the stereochemical course of nucleotidyl transfer. We have developed a simple method based on 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for determining the stereochemical course of these reactions, and using this method show here that the nucleotidyl transfer step in two aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from Escherichia coli occurs with inversion of configuration at phosphorus. These observations greatly constrain the mechanistic possibilities for these enzymes, and are interpreted most simply as a direct 'in line' transfer from ATP to the amino acid.