Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase

<p>An aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS or ARS), also called tRNA-ligase, is an <a href="/facts/Enzyme/DSI1Fh7y">enzyme</a> that attaches the appropriate <a href="/facts/Amino_acid/WDxYwBny">amino acid</a> onto its corresponding <a href="/facts/TRNA/pR9T5XSl">tRNA</a>. It does so by catalyzing the <a href="/facts/Transesterification/4CS0494k">transesterification</a> of a specific cognate amino acid or its precursor to one of all its compatible cognate tRNAs to form an <a href="/facts/Aminoacyl-tRNA/EmWTMwFE">aminoacyl-tRNA</a>. In humans, the 20 different types of aa-tRNA are made by the 20 different aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, one for each amino acid of the <a href="/facts/Genetic_code/zUK0bY1B">genetic code</a>.
</p><p>This is sometimes called "charging" or "loading" the tRNA with an amino acid. Once the tRNA is charged, a <a href="/facts/Ribosome/CF2u2gtg">ribosome</a> can transfer the amino acid from the tRNA onto a growing <a href="/facts/Peptide/C4ltc7UG">peptide</a>, according to the genetic code. Aminoacyl tRNA therefore plays an important role in RNA <a href="/facts/Translation_(biology)/JcPC1rth">translation</a>, the expression of <a href="/facts/Genes/e1swwPY6">genes</a> to create proteins.
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Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase open-in-new

Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase