Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATP

Aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (AARSs) are fundamental enzymes that pair amino acids and tRNAs for protein synthesis. Aminoacylation occurs in two discrete steps. The amino acid is first activated by ATP, leading to an aminoacyl‐adenylate intermediate and pyrophosphate (PPi) formation. In a subsequent s...

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Main Authors: Igor Živković, Morana Dulic, Petra Kozulic, Marko Mocibob, Ita Gruic‐Sovulj
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:FEBS Open Bio
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13903
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author Igor Živković
Morana Dulic
Petra Kozulic
Marko Mocibob
Ita Gruic‐Sovulj
author_facet Igor Živković
Morana Dulic
Petra Kozulic
Marko Mocibob
Ita Gruic‐Sovulj
author_sort Igor Živković
collection DOAJ
description Aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (AARSs) are fundamental enzymes that pair amino acids and tRNAs for protein synthesis. Aminoacylation occurs in two discrete steps. The amino acid is first activated by ATP, leading to an aminoacyl‐adenylate intermediate and pyrophosphate (PPi) formation. In a subsequent step, the aminoacyl moiety is transferred to the tRNA. Kinetic assays were developed to follow each of these steps independently, as well as cumulative two‐step aminoacylation. The main advantage of following the activation step over two‐step aminoacylation is that most AARSs can activate amino acids in the absence of the tRNA, the production of which is laborious. Hence, the activation step is often tested first in the kinetic analysis, including large screens exploring AARS‐targeting inhibitors. Since the 1960s, the activation reaction has been routinely followed by the standard ATP/[32P]PPi exchange assay, which relies on the equilibrium exchange of radiolabel between PPi and ATP using [32P]PPi as a labelled compound. However, this method became much less convenient when [32P]PPi was discontinued in 2022. As a solution, we developed a modified assay that uses easily attainable γ‐[32P]ATP as a labelled compound in the equilibrium‐based assay. Using this assay, herein named the [32P]ATP/PPi assay, we followed the activation step of several AARSs. The obtained data are in good agreement with the previously published kinetic constants obtained with the standard ATP/[32P]PPi exchange assay.
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spelling doaj-art-e1e1599bf44449c7b1a39b2e4a2adc6d2025-08-20T02:54:39ZengWileyFEBS Open Bio2211-54632025-04-0115458058610.1002/2211-5463.13903Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATPIgor Živković0Morana Dulic1Petra Kozulic2Marko Mocibob3Ita Gruic‐Sovulj4Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb Zagreb CroatiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb Zagreb CroatiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb Zagreb CroatiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb Zagreb CroatiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb Zagreb CroatiaAminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (AARSs) are fundamental enzymes that pair amino acids and tRNAs for protein synthesis. Aminoacylation occurs in two discrete steps. The amino acid is first activated by ATP, leading to an aminoacyl‐adenylate intermediate and pyrophosphate (PPi) formation. In a subsequent step, the aminoacyl moiety is transferred to the tRNA. Kinetic assays were developed to follow each of these steps independently, as well as cumulative two‐step aminoacylation. The main advantage of following the activation step over two‐step aminoacylation is that most AARSs can activate amino acids in the absence of the tRNA, the production of which is laborious. Hence, the activation step is often tested first in the kinetic analysis, including large screens exploring AARS‐targeting inhibitors. Since the 1960s, the activation reaction has been routinely followed by the standard ATP/[32P]PPi exchange assay, which relies on the equilibrium exchange of radiolabel between PPi and ATP using [32P]PPi as a labelled compound. However, this method became much less convenient when [32P]PPi was discontinued in 2022. As a solution, we developed a modified assay that uses easily attainable γ‐[32P]ATP as a labelled compound in the equilibrium‐based assay. Using this assay, herein named the [32P]ATP/PPi assay, we followed the activation step of several AARSs. The obtained data are in good agreement with the previously published kinetic constants obtained with the standard ATP/[32P]PPi exchange assay.https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13903amino acid activationaminoacyl‐tRNA synthetasesATP/PPi exchangeisotopic equilibrium exchange
spellingShingle Igor Živković
Morana Dulic
Petra Kozulic
Marko Mocibob
Ita Gruic‐Sovulj
Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATP
FEBS Open Bio
amino acid activation
aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases
ATP/PPi exchange
isotopic equilibrium exchange
title Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATP
title_full Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATP
title_fullStr Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATP
title_full_unstemmed Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATP
title_short Kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases using radiolabelled γ‐[32P]ATP
title_sort kinetic characterization of amino acid activation by aminoacyl trna synthetases using radiolabelled γ 32p atp
topic amino acid activation
aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases
ATP/PPi exchange
isotopic equilibrium exchange
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13903
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