Three-Dimensional Structure of Transfer RNA

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes that one of the most interesting aspects of transfer RNA (tRNA) is its common “substrate” for many enzymes involved in protein synthesis, a process in which tRNA plays a key role in transmitting the genetic information from nucleic acids to proteins. Almost nothing is known about the mode of interaction by which tRNA is specifically recognized by more than a dozen different proteins in the protein-synthesizing system. Transfer RNA also interacts with messenger RNA and possibly with ribosomal RNA. To understand these highly specific protein-nucleic acid and nucleic acid-nucleic acid interactions, it is imperative to know the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of tRNA. It is likely that there are some conformational changes occurring during the recognition process by the various enzymes and nucleic acids. The starting point of the studies of these specific interactions with tRNA is a well-defined 3-D structure of tRNA. The chapter describes that significant progress has ‘been made in the determination of the 3-D structure of tRNA. The chapter focuses primarily on the structural features of tRNA, their correlation with the various experimental results, and functional implications.