Translation in amino-acid-poor environments is limited by tRNA charging.

An inadequate supply of amino acids leads to accumulation of uncharged tRNAs, which can bind and activate GCN2 kinase to reduce translation. Here, we show that glutamine-specific tRNAs selectively become uncharged when extracellular amino acid availability is compromised. In contrast, all other tRNAs retain charging of their cognate amino acids in a manner that is dependent upon intact lysosomal function.

Pancreatic cancer SLUGged.

In this issue of JEM, Recouvreux et al. (https://doi.org/10.