RETROVIRUS INFECTION AND AGING - INCREASE IN UAG SUPPRESSOR TRANSFER-RNA EXPRESSION IN AGED MICE

The effect of aging on expression of a natural glutamine suppressor tR NA (tRNA(Gln(UmUG))) was studied in different tissues of mice; this tR NA recognizes UAG and inserts glutamine at the site of the termination codon. The level of tRNA(Gln(UmUG)) was found to be strongly increase d in aged mice, compared to newborn and mature animals. An elevated ex pression of tRNA(Gln(UmUG)) has also been found in retrovirus-infected cells; in Moloney virus-infected cells the suppressor tRNA allows to read-through the UAG codon within the retroviral protease gene. We sug gest that the increase in the level of tRNA(Gln(UmUG)) may influence r etroviral gene expression with age.