Sequence analysis of the glutamate tRNA family: evidence for pseudogenes.

Human tRNA(CUCGlu) has been isolated by direct hybridization of the tRNA to 28S ribosomal RNA. We now report the isolation of mouse tRNA(CUCGlu) using the same procedure. Partial sequence analysis of the mouse tRNA shows that it is identical to the human tRNA and to a cloned rat tDNA(CUCGlu) sequence. This mouse tRNA(CUCGlu), however, differs by one nucleotide from a previously cloned mouse tDNA(CUCGlu) sequence, suggesting that the tDNA may be a pseudogene. Further evolutionary comparison of these and other glutamate tRNAs and tDNAs has provided evidence to suggest that two other tDNA(Glu) sequences arose by mutation of functional tRNAGlu genes such that their anticodon sequences were converted from one glutamate isoacceptor to the other. These tDNA sequences may also represent pseudogenes.