Abstract
Summary
Using a cell-free synthesizing system and natural messenger (f2 viral RNA), we observed that selenomethionyl-tRNA participated in polypeptide synthesis to about the same extent as methionyl-tRNA. Studies on the role of Se Met in the initiation of protein synthesis indicated that N-formyl Se Met-tRNA can function as an initiator of protein synthesis as it has been established for N-formyl Met-tRNA. It is concluded that in E. coli Se Met is incorporated into polypeptides via the Met pathway, including the initiation mechanism involving the N-formylated aminoacyl-tRNA.
Acknowledgement is made to Dr. J. C. Rabinowitz for crystalline formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase [J. Biol. Chem. 237, 2898 (1962)].
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