Aminoacyl TRNA Synthetase - Classes

Classes

There are two classes of aminoacyl tRNA synthetase:

  • Class I has two highly conserved sequence motifs. It aminoacylates at the 2'-OH of an adenosine nucleotide, and is usually monomeric or dimeric (one or two subunits, respectively).
  • Class II has three highly conserved sequence motifs. It aminoacylates at the 3'-OH of the same adenosine, and is usually dimeric or tetrameric (two or four subunits, respectively). Although phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase is class II, it aminoacylates at the 2'-OH.

The amino acids are attached to the hydroxyl (-OH) group of the adenosine via the carboxyl (-COOH) group.

Regardless of where the aminoacyl is initially attached to the nucleotide, the 2'-O-aminoacyl-tRNA will ultimately migrate to the 3' position via transesterification.

Read more about this topic:  Aminoacyl TRNA Synthetase

Famous quotes containing the word classes:

    We deny your internationalism, because it is a luxury which only the upper classes can afford; the working people are hopelessly bound to their native shores.
    Benito Mussolini (1883–1945)

    There were three classes of inhabitants who either frequent or inhabit the country which we had now entered: first, the loggers, who, for a part of the year, the winter and spring, are far the most numerous, but in the summer, except for a few explorers for timber, completely desert it; second, the few settlers I have named, the only permanent inhabitants, who live on the verge of it, and help raise supplies for the former; third, the hunters, mostly Indians, who range over it in their season.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    Between richer and poorer classes in a free country a mutually respecting antagonism is much healthier than pity on the one hand and dependence on the other, as is, perhaps, the next best thing to fraternal feeling.
    Charles Horton Cooley (1864–1929)