TadA, an essential tRNA-specific adenosine deaminase from Escherichia coli

Abstract

We report the characterization of tadA, the first prokaryotic RNA editing enzyme to be identified. Escherichia coli tadA displays sequence similarity to the yeast tRNA deaminase subunit Tad2p. Recombinant tadA protein forms homodimers and is sufficient for site-specific inosine formation at the wobble position (position 34) of tRNAArg2, the only tRNA having this modification in prokaryotes. With the exception of yeast tRNAArg, no other eukaryotic tRNA substrates were found to be modified by tadA. However, an artificial yeast tRNAAsp, which carries the anticodon loop of yeast tRNAArg, is bound and modified by tadA. Moreover, a tRNAArg2 minisubstrate containing the anticodon stem and loop is sufficient for specific deamination by tadA. We show that nucleotides at positions 33-36 are sufficient for inosine formation in mutant Arg2 minisubstrates. The anticodon is thus a major determinant for tadA substrate specificity. Finally, we show that tadA is an essential gene in E. coli, underscoring the critical function of inosine at the wobble position in prokaryotes.