SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF PHAGE T5-ENCODED TRANSFER-RNAS

Nucleotide sequences of 24 tRNA genes of phage T5 coding for all the a mino acids participating in protein synthesis were determined. Structu ral analysis of these tRNAs revealed that all of them except tRNA(Pro) differ in their conformation from the generalized ''cloverleaf' model : some invariant and semi-invariant nucleotide residues are substitute d, nucleotide complementarity of hairpin structures is not absolute, e tc. Basing on available information on the functional activity of phag e-specific tRNAs, one may suppose that at least for a part of them suc h structural anomalies do not substantially alter their activity. A co mparison of phage T5 tRNAs with the isoacceptor E. coli and phage T4 t RNAs demonstrated that all the phage T5 tRNAs except tRNA(Phe) possess most known elements that determine the specificity of E. coli tRNA am inoacetylation reaction.