The role of modifications in codon discrimination by tRNA(Lys)(UUU).
Murphy, F.V., Ramakrishnan, V., Malkiewicz, A., Agris, P.F.(2004) Nat Struct Mol Biol 11: 1186-1191
- PubMed: 15558052 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb861
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1XMO, 1XMQ - PubMed Abstract: 
The natural modification of specific nucleosides in many tRNAs is essential during decoding of mRNA by the ribosome. For example, tRNA(Lys)(UUU) requires the modification N6-threonylcarbamoyladenosine at position 37 (t(6)A37), adjacent and 3' to the anticodon, to bind AAA in the A site of the ribosomal 30S subunit. Moreover, it can only bind both AAA and AAG lysine codons when doubly modified with t(6)A37 and either 5-methylaminomethyluridine or 2-thiouridine at the wobble position (mnm(5)U34 or s(2)U34). Here we report crystal structures of modified tRNA anticodon stem-loops bound to the 30S ribosomal subunit with lysine codons in the A site. These structures allow the rationalization of how modifications in the anticodon loop enable decoding of both lysine codons AAA and AAG.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK.