Putting amino acids onto tRNAs: The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases as catalysts.

Rebecca W Alexander, Tamara L Hendrickson

Journal: The Enzymes 2021;48():39-68

PMID: 33837710

Abstract

In this chapter we consider the catalytic approaches used by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS) enzymes to synthesize aminoacyl-tRNA from cognate amino acid and tRNA. This ligase reaction proceeds through an activated aminoacyl-adenylate (aa-AMP). Common themes among AARSs include use of induced fit to drive catalysis and transition state stabilization by class-conserved sequence and structure motifs. Active site metal ions contribute to the amino acid activation step, while amino acid transfer to tRNA is generally a substrate-assisted concerted mechanism. A distinction between classes is the rate-limiting step for aminoacylation. We present some examples for each aspect of aminoacylation catalysis, including the experimental approaches developed to address questions of AARS chemistry.

Address: Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/bs.enz.2020.06.003

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MeSH Terms: Amino Acids, Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases, Aminoacylation, Catalysis, RNA, Transfer