Structural significances of pseudouridination and methylation of uridine residues in tRNA: X-Ray analyses of DNA dodecamers containing uridine and pseudouridine

Pseudouridine (psi) and 5-methyluridine (T) residues found in tRNA are prepared through modification of the uridine residues by specific enzymes just after transcription. On the other hands, thymidine residues in DNA are incorporated using dTTP which is derived from UTP before replication. In order to investigate the necessity of such modification and the structural properties of these residues, we have determined two X-ray structures of DNA dodecamers containing dU or d psi, and compared with that containing dT. There is found remarkable difference in arrangement of water molecules hydrogen-bonded to these residues, which form a Watson-Crick type base pair. The psi residue stabilizes the phosphate-backbone conformation of the phosphate group via water mediated hydrogen bond networks, while dT residues seem to prevent from attacking of water molecules.