@article{sochacka_czerwinska_guenther_cain_agris_malkiewicz_2000, title={Synthesis and properties of uniquely modified oligoribonucleotides: Yeast tRNA(Phe) fragments with 6-methyluridine and 5,6-dimethyluridine at site-specific positions}, volume={19}, ISSN={["1525-7770"]}, DOI={10.1080/15257770008035004}, abstractNote={Abstract The phosphoramidites of 6-methyluridine and 5,6-dimethyluridine were synthesized and the modified uridines site-selectively incorporated into heptadecamers corresponding in sequence to the yeast tRNAPhe anticodon and TΦC domains. The oligoribonucleotides were characterized by NMR, MALDI-TOF MS and UV-monitored thermal denaturations. The 6-methylated uridines retained the syn conformation at the polymer level and in each sequence location destabilized the RNAs compared to that of the unmodified RNA. The decrease in RNA duplex stability is predictable. However, loss of stability when the modified uridine is in a loop is sequence context dependent, and can not, at this time, be predicted from the location in the loop.}, number={3}, journal={NUCLEOSIDES NUCLEOTIDES & NUCLEIC ACIDS}, author={Sochacka, E and Czerwinska, G and Guenther, R and Cain, R and Agris, PF and Malkiewicz, A}, year={2000}, pages={515–531} }
 @article{ashraf_sochacka_cain_guenther_malkiewicz_agris_1999, title={Single atom modification (O -> S) of tRNA confers ribosome binding}, volume={5}, ISSN={["1469-9001"]}, DOI={10.1017/S1355838299981529}, abstractNote={Escherichia coli tRNALysSUU, as well as human tRNALys3SUU, has 2-thiouridine derivatives at wobble position 34 (s2U*34). Unlike the native tRNALysSUU, the full-length, unmodified transcript of human tRNALys3UUU and the unmodified tRNALys3UUU anticodon stem/loop (ASLLys3UUU) did not bind AAA- or AAG-programmed ribosomes. In contrast, the completely unmodified yeast tRNAPhe anticodon stem/loop (ASLPheGAA) had an affinity (Kd = 136+/-49 nM) similar to that of native yeast tRNAPheGmAA (Kd = 103+/-19 nM). We have found that the single, site-specific substitution of s2U34 for U34 to produce the modified ASLLysSUU was sufficient to restore ribosomal binding. The modified ASLLysSUU bound the ribosome with an affinity (Kd = 176+/-62 nM) comparable to that of native tRNALysSUU (Kd = 70+/-7 nM). Furthermore, in binding to the ribosome, the modified ASLLys3SUU produced the same 16S P-site tRNA footprint as did native E. coli tRNALysSUU, yeast tRNAPheGmAA, and the unmodified ASLPheGAA. The unmodified ASLLys3UUU had no footprint at all. Investigations of thermal stability and structure monitored by UV spectroscopy and NMR showed that the dynamic conformation of the loop of modified ASLLys3SUU was different from that of the unmodified ASLLysUUU, whereas the stems were isomorphous. Based on these and other data, we conclude that s2U34 in tRNALysSUU and in other s2U34-containing tRNAs is critical for generating an anticodon conformation that leads to effective codon interaction in all organisms. This is the first example of a single atom substitution (U34-->s2U34) that confers the property of ribosomal binding on an otherwise inactive tRNA.}, number={2}, journal={RNA}, author={Ashraf, SS and Sochacka, E and Cain, R and Guenther, R and Malkiewicz, A and Agris, PF}, year={1999}, month={Feb}, pages={188–194} }
 @article{yarian_basti_cain_ansari_guenther_sochacka_czerwinska_malkiewicz_agris_1999, title={Structural and functional roles of the N1-and N3-protons of Psi at tRNA's position 39}, volume={27}, ISSN={["1362-4962"]}, DOI={10.1093/nar/27.17.3543}, abstractNote={Pseudouridine at position 39 (Psi(39)) of tRNA's anticodon stem and loop domain (ASL) is highly conserved. To determine the physicochemical contributions of Psi(39)to the ASL and to relate these properties to tRNA function in translation, we synthesized the unmodified yeast tRNA(Phe)ASL and ASLs with various derivatives of U(39)and Psi(39). Psi(39)increased the thermal stability of the ASL (Delta T (m)= 1.3 +/- 0.5 degrees C), but did not significantly affect ribosomal binding ( K (d)= 229 +/- 29 nM) compared to that of the unmodified ASL (K (d)= 197 +/- 58 nM). The ASL-Psi(39)P-site fingerprint on the 30S ribosomal subunit was similar to that of the unmodified ASL. The stability, ribosome binding and fingerprint of the ASL with m(1)Psi(39)were comparable to that of the ASL with Psi(39). Thus, the contribution of Psi(39)to ASL stability is not related to N1-H hydrogen bonding, but probably is due to the nucleoside's ability to improve base stacking compared to U. In contrast, substitutions of m(3)Psi(39), the isosteric m(3)U(39)and m(1)m(3)Psi(39)destabilized the ASL by disrupting the A(31)-U(39)base pair in the stem, as confirmed by NMR. N3-methylations of both U and Psi dramatically decreased ribosomal binding ( K (d)= 1060 +/- 189 to 1283 +/- 258 nM). Thus, canonical base pairing of Psi(39)to A(31)through N3-H is important to structure, stability and ribosome binding, whereas the increased stability and the N1-proton afforded by modification of U(39)to Psi(39)may have biological roles other than tRNA's binding to the ribosomal P-site.}, number={17}, journal={NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH}, author={Yarian, CS and Basti, MM and Cain, RJ and Ansari, G and Guenther, RH and Sochacka, E and Czerwinska, G and Malkiewicz, A and Agris, PF}, year={1999}, month={Sep}, pages={3543–3549} }