Question

What features of tRNA structure are involved in recognition and aminoacylation by an aaRS?

Short answer

The features of tRNA structure that are involved in recognition and aminoacylation by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) are the acceptor arm and the anticodon arm.

Step-by-step solution

Activation of Amino acid

Specific Amino acids and ATP bind together with the help of Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, which produces a reactive aminoacyl-AMP.

Transfer of Amino acid to tRNA

The amino acid constituent of the aminoacyl-AMP is then transferred to the 3’-CCA stem of the acceptor’s arm.

Specificity of amino acids

Since the genetic code coding for amino acids is degenerate, more than one tRNA may carry the same amino acids, and the amino acid that gets attached by aaRS to the tRNA depends on the sequence present at the anticodon arm.

Synthetase interacts with tRNA

Synthetases interact with both acceptor-arm and anticodon-arm by having a size and structure adequate to bind both the arms of the tRNA molecule.

Therefore, the features of tRNA involved are the acceptor arm and anticodon arm.