Functional aspects of tRNA from the extreme halophile, Halobacterium cutirubrum

1.1. tRNA from Halobacterium cutirubrum has been examined to determine if it has been especially modified for the extremely high internal salt concentration of this bacterium.2.2. The codon recognition of aminoacyl-tRNA from Escherichia coli and H. cutirubrum was the same in assay systems from both bacteria.3.3. Aminoacyl-tRNA from both bacteria was recognized by the heterologous transferases and ribosomes in ionic environments normally foreign to these tRNAs.4.4. tRNA from both bacteria accepted certain 14C-labelled amino acids from the heterologous aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, the extent depending on the source of the tRNA and the synthetases and on the amino acid used.5.5. There is no evidence that the tRNA from this extremely halophilic bacterium has been modified extensively to equip it for a high salt environment.