SPLICING OF YEAST TRANSFER-RNA PRECURSORS - STRUCTURE OF THE REACTION INTERMEDIATES

The intermediates of the yeast tRNA splicing reaction have been characterized. The intervening sequence is excised as an unique linear molecule. It has 5′-hydroxyl and 3′-phosphate termini. Correspondingly, the half-tRNA molecules are shown to have a 3′-phosphate terminus on the 5′ half and 5′-hydroxyl terminus on the 3′ half. These isolated halves have been shown to be active in the ligation step of tRNA splicing. Removal of the 3′-phosphate from the 5′ half eliminates the ability of the 5′ half to participate in ligation. © 1979.