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Molecular electric mechanism for discrimination of amino acid by cognate tRNA
Author(s) -
Shimizu Mikio
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal of quantum chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.484
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-461X
pISSN - 0020-7608
DOI - 10.1002/qua.560280727
Subject(s) - transfer rna , amino acid , mechanism (biology) , chemistry , aminoacyl trna synthetase , genetic code , stereochemistry , biochemistry , rna , gene , physics , quantum mechanics
In previous article [1–3], we pointed out by using the CPK molecular model that the complex of the three anticodon bases and the discriminator base (C4N) on tRNA can discriminate the cognate amino acid by the lock and key relationship. Analysis of the amino acid sequences of the aminoacyl‐tRNA‐synthetases reveals an electric machine mechanism for the conformational change of tRNA from an L letter shape to a U letter shape, resulting in the formation of C4N in the active α/β structure of the synthetase. From this point of view, a possible ancient protein synthesis system has been speculated.