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Direct Route for Asparaginyl‐tRNA Formation in B. subtilis
Author(s) -
Wales Rebecca,
Sheppard Kelly
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.526.33
Subject(s) - asparagine , transfer rna , biochemistry , bacillus subtilis , asparagine synthetase , biology , amino acid , protein biosynthesis , enzyme , genetics , rna , bacteria , gene
Attaching an amino acid to its cognate tRNA is an essential step for the fidelity of protein synthesis. Two distinct routes have evolved for ligating asparagine to tRNA Asn . In the direct route, asparagine is first synthesized by an asparagine synthetase. Asparagine is then attached to tRNA Asn by asparaginyl‐tRNA synthetase. For the indirect path, asparagine is synthesized on the tRNA. First a non‐discriminating aspartyl‐tRNA synthetase ligates aspartate to tRNA Asn and the amidotransferase GatCAB amidates the tRNA‐bound aspartate to asparagine. Bacillus subtilis encodes both routes for asparaginyl‐tRNA Asn formation. Why it acquired an asparaginyl‐tRNA synthetase is not clear. We hypothesize that it enables the organism to adapt to different environmental conditions. To test this hypothesis, we have purified the B. subtilis asparaginyl‐tRNA synthetase and asparagine synthetase B. We will report on characterizing in vitro the two enzymes for the direct route for asparaginyl‐tRNA synthesis under different physiologically relevant conditions as well as knocking out asks in the B. subtilis genome that encodes asparaginyl‐tRNA synthetase. The work will provide insight into how bacteria have adapted amino acid metabolism and use in protein synthesis for different environmental niches. Support or Funding Information National Science Foundation (MCB‐1615770) This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .