Adenosine triphosphate-pyrophosphate exchange and amino acyl-ribonucleic acid formation catalysed by amino acid-activating enzymes from wheat germ

Abstract

A cell-free extract from wheat germ contains enzymes capable of activating all the amino acids which occur naturally in proteins. These enzymes catalyse ATP-pyrophosphate exchange to various degrees in the presence of the individual amino acids. They also catalyse the formation of amino acyl-RNA with transfer-RNA isolated from either wheat germ or pea seedlings. The relative activity of various amino acids when measured by phosphate exchange is different from that measured by the rate of incorporation of 14C-labeled amino acids into soluble RNA.