Modern problems, primitive solutions: A glimpse into archaic protein synthesis systems
In cells, protein is synthesized based on the genetic code. Each protein is coded by the triplet combination of chemicals called nucleotides, and a continuous reading of any set of triplet codes will, after a multi-step process, result in the creation of a chain of amino acids, a protein. The genetic code is matched with the correct amino acid by a special functional RNA aptly named transfer RNA or tRNA (which, incidentally, is itself composed of its own type of codes). An enzyme called aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase or aaRS accurately assigns a specific amino acid to the correct code through a tRNA by recognizing unique structural components called identity elements on the tRNA. In the case of the amino acid alanine, the identity element for recognition by the enzyme alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AlaRS) is an unlikely base pair G3:U70, present in the minihelix structure (amino acid-accepting upper half region) of tRNA. Considering...