Primary structure of an unusual glycine tRNA UGA suppressor

We have determined the nucleotide sequences of two UGA-suppressing glycine transfer RNAs. The suppressor tRNAs were previously shown to translate both UGA and UGG and to have arisen as a consequence of mutation in glyT, the gene for the GGA/G-reading glycine tRNA of Escherichia coli. In each mutant tRNA, the primary sequence change was the substitution of adenine for cytosine in the 3′ position of the anticodon. In addition, a portion of the mutant glyT tRNA molecules contained N6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)-2-thiomethyl adenine adjacent to the 3′ end of the anticodon (nucleotide 37). The presence or absence of this hypermodification may be a determinant in some of the biological properties of the mutant tRNA.