Open AccessCysteinyl-tRNA synthetase: determination of the lastE.coliaminoacyl-tRNA synthetase primary structure
Author(s) -
Gilbert Eriani,
G. Dirheimer,
Jean Gangloff
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
nucleic acids research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 9.008
H-Index - 537
eISSN - 1362-4954
pISSN - 0305-1048
DOI - 10.1093/nar/19.2.265
Subject(s) - biology , transfer rna , aminoacyl trna synthetase , amino acyl trna synthetases , biochemistry , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , rna , gene
The gene coding for E. coli cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (cysS) was isolated by complementation of a strain deficient in cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase activity at high temperature (43 degrees C). Sequencing of a 2.1 kbp DNA fragment revealed an open reading frame of 1383 bp coding for a protein of 461 amino acid residues with a Mr of 52,280, a value in close agreement with that observed for the purified protein, which behaves as a monomer. The sequence of CysRS bears the canonical His-Ile- Gly -His (HIGH) and Lys-Met-Ser-Lys-Ser (KMSKS) motifs characteristic of the group of enzymes containing a Rossmann fold; furthermore, it shows striking homologies with MetRS (an homodimer of 677 residues) and to a lesser extent with Ile-, Leu-, and ValRS (monomers of 939, 860, and 951 residues respectively). With its monomeric state and smaller size, CysRS is probably more closely related to the primordial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase from which all have diverged.