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Cover Picture: The Synthesis of Methylated, Phosphorylated, and Phosphonated 3′‐Aminoacyl‐tRNA Sec Mimics (Chem. Eur. J. 47/2013)
Author(s) -
Rigger Lukas,
Schmidt Rachel L.,
Holman Kaitlyn M.,
Simonović Miljan,
Micura Ronald
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201390186
Subject(s) - selenocysteine , transfer rna , rna , chemistry , aminoacyl trna synthetase , enzyme , amino acid , amide , biosynthesis , biochemistry , amino acyl trna synthetases , aminoacyl trna , stereochemistry , cysteine , gene
Selenocysteine is the only amino acid that is synthesized on its cognate transfer RNA, in all domains of life. Its biosynthesis involves the enzyme O ‐phosphoseryl‐tRNA: selenocysteinyl‐tRNA synthase. To explore the enzyme mechanism, tRNA Sec substrates carrying aminoacyl moieties that mimic reaction intermediates are needed. The cover illustrates the synthetic path of phosphonated amino acid units to the 3′‐amide linked adenosine conjugates, subsequent assembly of RNA strands and enzymatic ligation to full‐length tRNA Sec derivatives. The cover also symbolizes the collaborative effort of the work from the two labs involved, R. Micura and co‐workers in Innsbruck (Austria) and M. Simonović and co‐workers in Chicago (USA). For more information see the Full Paper on page 15872 ff.