Abstract
Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are central adaptors that decode genetic information during translation and have been long considered static cellular components. However, whether dynamic changes in tRNAs and tRNA-derived fragments actively contribute to gene regulation remains debated. In this issue, Huh et al (2020) highlight tyrosine tRNA(GUA) fragmentation at the nexus of an evolutionarily conserved adaptive codon-based stress response that fine-tunes translation to restrain growth in human cells.