2022
Ancestral archaea expanded the genetic code with pyrrolysine
Guo LT, Amikura K, Jiang HK, Mukai T, Fu X, Wang YS, O’Donoghue P, Söll D, Tharp JM. Ancestral archaea expanded the genetic code with pyrrolysine. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2022, 298: 102521. PMID: 36152750, PMCID: PMC9630628, DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102521.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAminoacylation efficiencyGenetic code expansionDomains of lifePyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetaseTRNA-binding domainFull-length enzymeNoncanonical amino acidsAmino acid substratesMolecular phylogenyDiverse archaeaCoevolutionary historyTRNA sequencesGenetic codeCode expansionDiscriminator basesMethanogenic archaeaMethanosarcina mazeiPylRSSubstrate spectrumTRNAArchaeaMultiple organismsLiving cellsAcid substratesAmino acids
2005
RNA-Dependent Cysteine Biosynthesis in Archaea
Sauerwald A, Zhu W, Major TA, Roy H, Palioura S, Jahn D, Whitman WB, Yates JR, Ibba M, Söll D. RNA-Dependent Cysteine Biosynthesis in Archaea. Science 2005, 307: 1969-1972. PMID: 15790858, DOI: 10.1126/science.1108329.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCysteine biosynthesisSep-tRNAComparative genomic analysisCys-tRNA synthasePhosphoseryl-tRNA synthetaseCys-tRNACysteine auxotrophyMost organismsMethanocaldococcus jannaschiiMethanococcus maripaludisGenetic codeGenomic analysisEssential enzymeO-phosphoserineBiosynthesisRNA synthetaseOrganismsSepRSSynthetasePartial purificationCysteineSole routeArchaeaSepCysSJannaschii
2004
Cys-tRNACys formation and cysteine biosynthesis in methanogenic archaea: two faces of the same problem?
Ambrogelly A, Kamtekar S, Sauerwald A, Ruan B, Tumbula-Hansen D, Kennedy D, Ahel I, Söll D. Cys-tRNACys formation and cysteine biosynthesis in methanogenic archaea: two faces of the same problem? Cellular And Molecular Life Sciences 2004, 61: 2437-2445. PMID: 15526152, DOI: 10.1007/s00018-004-4194-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMethanogenic archaeaCysteine biosynthesisCellular translation machineryAminoacyl-tRNA synthesisCanonical cysteinyl-tRNA synthetaseAminoacyl-tRNA synthetasesCysteinyl-tRNA synthetaseRecognizable genesTranslation machineryGenome sequenceArchaeaBiosynthesisEssential componentSynthetasesTRNARibosomesGenesMachineryOrganismsSynthetasePossible linkSequenceFormation
2001
The renaissance of aminoacyl‐tRNA synthesis
Ibba M, Söll D. The renaissance of aminoacyl‐tRNA synthesis. EMBO Reports 2001, 2: 382-387. PMID: 11375928, PMCID: PMC1083889, DOI: 10.1093/embo-reports/kve095.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAminoacyl-tRNA synthesisProtein synthesisRole of tRNAEvolutionary diversityStructural biologyMolecular biologistsUnexpected arrayMolecular biologyNew enzymeDecades of studyAmino acidsEssential processTRNABiologyComplete pictureGenomicsAdaptorBiologistsDiversityEnzymePathwayHigh degreeSynthesisNumerous milestones
2000
Domain-specific recruitment of amide amino acids for protein synthesis
Tumbula D, Becker H, Chang W, Söll D. Domain-specific recruitment of amide amino acids for protein synthesis. Nature 2000, 407: 106-110. PMID: 10993083, DOI: 10.1038/35024120.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGlutaminyl-tRNA synthetaseAsparaginyl-tRNA synthetaseProtein synthesisAmino acidsAminoacyl-transfer RNAAmino acid metabolismGlu-tRNAGlnAsn-tRNAProtein biosynthesisGln-tRNAArchaeaTRNASynthetaseAmidotransferaseBacteriaAmidotransferasesDirect evidenceDifferent mechanismsBiosynthesisCentral importanceCrucial stepRNAOrganismsDomainCytoplasmAminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases, the Genetic Code, and the Evolutionary Process
Woese C, Olsen G, Ibba M, Söll D. Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases, the Genetic Code, and the Evolutionary Process. Microbiology And Molecular Biology Reviews 2000, 64: 202-236. PMID: 10704480, PMCID: PMC98992, DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.64.1.202-236.2000.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAminoacyl-tRNA synthetasesIndividual aminoacyl-tRNA synthetasesEvolutionary processesAAR geneEvolutionary relationshipsPhylogenetic treeGenetic codeUniversal phylogenetic treeDistant evolutionary pastOrganismal phylogenyOrganismal domainsCodon assignmentsTaxonomic distributionEvolutionary pastHorizontal transferEvolutionary profilesGenetic materialIndividual enzymesEvolutionary perspectiveSynthetasesGenesEnzymeBacteriaModern counterpartsTrees
1999
Archaeal Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthesis: Diversity Replaces Dogma
Tumbula D, Vothknecht U, Kim H, Ibba M, Min B, Li T, Pelaschier J, Stathopoulos C, Becker H, Söll D. Archaeal Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthesis: Diversity Replaces Dogma. Genetics 1999, 152: 1269-1276. PMID: 10430557, PMCID: PMC1460689, DOI: 10.1093/genetics/152.4.1269.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAminoacyl-tRNA synthesisGene transfer eventsPhenylalanyl-tRNA synthetasesLysyl-tRNA synthetaseTransamidation pathwayExtant organismsMethanococcus jannaschiiAsparaginyl-tRNAProtein biosynthesisGenetic codeGene expressionGenome sequencingAminoacyl-tRNAArchaeaMethanobacterium thermoautotrophicumMolecular biologyUnexpected levelNovel pathwayTransfer eventsFaithful translationPathwayJannaschiiSynthetasesBiosynthesisOrganismsArchaeal aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis: unique determinants of a universal genetic code?
Ibba M, Curnow A, Bono J, Rosa P, Woese C, Söll D. Archaeal aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis: unique determinants of a universal genetic code? Biological Bulletin 1999, 196: 335-6; discussion 336-7. PMID: 10390832, DOI: 10.2307/1542964.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
1997
Archaeal-type lysyl-tRNA synthetase in the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi
Ibba M, Bono J, Rosa P, Söll D. Archaeal-type lysyl-tRNA synthetase in the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 1997, 94: 14383-14388. PMID: 9405621, PMCID: PMC24988, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.94.26.14383.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLysyl-tRNA synthetasesLysyl-tRNA synthetaseOpen reading frameReading frameAminoacyl-tRNA synthetasesLyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferiGroup of enzymesLysyl-tRNA synthetase activityAmino acid levelsBacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferiArchaeal kingdomHeterologous expressionProtein biosynthesisGenomic sequencesMRNA translationPathogen Borrelia burgdorferiSignificant similarityLysyl-tRNASynthetasesB. burgdorferiBorrelia burgdorferiEscherichia coliEukaryaSpirochete Borrelia burgdorferiPathogenic spirochetes