Abstract
Changes in specific tRNA isoacceptors during Friend leukemia cell (F.L.C.) erythroid differentiation have been found to be concomitant with differences in the extent of the Q-base modification in certain species of tRNA. Transfer RNA was isolated from F.L.C. cultures after 0, 36, 48, 72, and 96 hr of DMSO induced differentiation. Changes in 17 isoacceptors of tRNAasn, tRNAasp, tRNAhis and tRNAtyr were compared by RPC-5 chromatography. Isoacceptors of these tRNA changed in relative amounts, following consistent trends throughout cell differentiation. The amount and distribution of Q-base containing tRNA isoacceptors was assayed by measuring the quanine-tRNA transferase catalyzed incorporation of [3H]-labeled guanine into tRNA species undermodified in Q-base followed by RPC-5 chormatography of the tRNA. The amount of Q-base containing tRNA species decreased in the first 48 hr after the induction, then increased again, indicating the level of Q-modification is correlated to the process of differentiation. Isoacceptors that lacked the Q-base were eluted late from RPC-5.