Search for tRNA‐like properties in tomato aspermy virus RNA

The 3'‐terminal sequence of tomato aspermy virus (TAV, a cucumovirus) RNA can be arranged in an 'L'shaped conformation similar to that of the 3'‐tRNA‐like regions of the tyrosine‐accepting bromo‐, cucumoand hordeivirus RNAs examined to date. We report here that TAV RNA is recognized by the tRNA nucleotidyltransferase and can be adenylated nearly as efficiently as brome mosaic virus (BMV, a bromovirus) RNA. However, using tyrosyl‐tRNA synthetase from rat liver or from yeast, TAV RNA cannot be tyrosylated under conditions that allow aminoacylation of BMV RNA. Structural features in the 3'‐region could be responsible for the recognitory discrimination between the BMV and TAV RNAs by these eukaryotic tyrosyl‐tRNA synthetases.