QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wolfe, R. R. Articles by Zhang, X.-j. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wolfe, R. R. Articles by Zhang, X.-j.

---

Biochemical, Molecular, and Genetic Mechanisms

Total Aminoacyl-Transfer RNA Pool Is Greater in Liver Than Muscle in Rabbits^1,2

³ Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 and ⁴ Metabolism Unit, Shriners Burns Hospital and Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rwolfe2{at}uams.edu.

Transfer RNA (tRNA)-charged amino acids are direct precursors of protein synthesis. Therefore, the amount and profile of amino acids in the aminoacyl-tRNA pool may be closely related to the rate of protein synthesis in the tissue. This study was designed to compare the aminoacyl-tRNA pools in liver and muscle, 2 distinct tissues with different rates of protein synthesis. Liver and muscle samples were taken from 6 rabbits and aminoacyl-tRNA was isolated with sequential acid-phenol:chloroform extraction, followed by total RNA and tRNA purification. Amino acids in the aminoacyl-tRNA pool were measured by HPLC after deacylation. Liver contained 3.4 times more tRNA than muscle (585 ± 120 vs. 132 ± 11 µg of tRNA/g of tissue; P < 0.001). Overall tRNA charging was also greater in liver (14.22 ± 4.42 nmol of amino acids/mg of tRNA) than in muscle (7.00 ± 1.76 nmol of amino acids/mg of tRNA) (P < 0.05). The greater availability and charging efficiency of tRNA in liver as compared with muscle may influence the extent to which amino acid precursor availability regulates protein synthesis in these 2 tissues.