Changes in Certain Aminoacyl Transfer Ribonucleic Acid Synthetase Activities in Developing Pea Roots

Tyrosyl-, arginyl-, leucyl-, and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase activities were measured in extracts from three root sections of 3-day-old pea seedlings. The sections 0 to 2, 3 to 7, and 8 to 22 millimeters from the root tip were chosen to represent the regions of cell division, elongation, and maturation, respectively. The specific activity for each aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase was highest in the 0- to 2-millimeter section and lowest in the 8 to 22 millimeter section. The changes in specific activity between the sections, however, varied with the particular synthetase. Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from each section was fractionated into two activity regions on a diethylaminoethyl cellulose column. Approximately 10, 22, and 44% of the total tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase activity in the 0 to 2, 3 to 7, and 8- to 22-millimeter sections, respectively, were associated with the first tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase region; the remaining activity was located in the second tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase region. Only one activity region for arginyl-tRNA synthetase was detected by diethylaminoethyl cellulose column fractionation.