Limited hydrolysis of tRNA by phosphodiesterase.
Digestion of tRNA by electrophoretically pure phosphodiesterase is limited to a short sequence of nucleotides at the 3'-terminus. On the average, four percent of all nucleotides can be released from tRNA. The optimum Mg2 concentration is 10mM and the optimum pH 9.2. The mode of action is a random attack by the enzyme on the substrate. The terminal AMP is completely removed at 15 degrees C after short incubation; about 400 mol of AMP were removed per min by 1 mol of enzyme. The following CMP residues are released much more slowly; at 15 degrees C incompletely, and at 37 degrees C more or less completely in 1 h. In about 50% of the tRNA molecules, the fourth nucleotide could be removed in very long incubations or with very high enzyme concentrations.
Limited hydrolysis of tRNA by phosphodiesterase. Digestion of tRNA by electrophoretically pure phosphodiesterase is limited to a short sequence of nucleotides at the 3'-terminus. On the average, four percent of all nucleotides can be released from tRNA. The optimum Mg2 concentration is 10mM and the optimum pH 9.2. The mode of action is a random attack by the enzyme on the substrate. The terminal AMP is completely removed at 15 degrees C after short incubation; about 400 mol of AMP were removed per min by 1 mol of enzyme. The following CMP residues are released much more slowly; at 15 degrees C incompletely, and at 37 degrees C more or less completely in 1 h. In about 50% of the tRNA molecules, the fourth nucleotide could be removed in very long incubations or with very high enzyme concentrations.