Transcriptional regulation of the T box family of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase
and amino acid biosynthesis genes in Gram-positive bacteria is mediated by
a conserved transcription antitermination system, in which readthrough of
a termination site in the leader region of the mRNA is directed by a specif
ic interaction with the cognate uncharged tRNA. The specificity of this int
eraction is determined in part by pairing of the anticodon of the tRNA with
a "specifier sequence" in the reader, a codon representing the appropriate
amino acid, as well as by pairing of the acceptor end of the tRNA with an
unpaired region of the antiterminator. Previous studies have indicated that
although these interactions are necessary for antitermination, they are un
likely to be sufficient. In the current study, the effect of multiple mutat
ions in tRNA(Tyr) on readthrough of the tyrS leader region terminator, inde
pendent of other tRNA functions, was assessed using a system for in vivo ex
pression of pools of tRNA variants; this system may be generally useful for
in vivo expression of RNAs with defined end points. Although alterations i
n helical regions of tRNA(Tyr) that did not perturb base pairing were gener
ally permitted, substitutions affecting conserved features of tRNAs were no
t. The long variable arm of tRNA(Tyr) could be replaced by either a short v
ariable arm or a long insertion of a stable stem-loop structure. These resu
lts indicate that the tRNA-leader RNA interaction is highly constrained, an
d is likely to involve recognition of the overall tertiary structure of the
tRNA.