• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.176-180
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• 1989

There are three pseudourdine ($Psi$)bases in the E. coli $tRNA^{phe}$ In order to study the function of the pseudouridine bases in the $tRNA^{phe}$, changes of bases $tRNA^{phe}$ gene to other bases were undertaken by the site-specific mutagenesis. Site-specific mutagenesis of T in the pheW gene, a $tRNA^{phe}$ gene of E. coli, corresponding to the baseat the No.32 position to C and also T corresponding to the base at the No.39 position to C were performed using Kunkel's uracil-containing template method. Identification of mutants were undertaken by the KNA sequencing techniques of the mutated pheW genes and activities of the mutated pheW genes complementing to E. coli NP37 mutant($pheS^{-ts}$) using the recombinant plasmid containing the mutated genes. Neither NP37 harboring pheW gene mutated at No.32 position nor NP37 harboring pheW gene mutated at No.39 position can be grown at non-permissive temperature. The result means that both mutated pheW genes can not complement to E. coli NP37, and that the pseudouridine bases are essential to the activity of the E. coli $tRNA^{phe}$ in vivo.