Crystallizatoin of Arginine-, Formylmethionine-, Tyrosine-, and Glycine-Transfer RNAs from Escherichia coli

Abstract

Crystals as large as 0.5×0.3×0.2mm of purified arginine-transfer RNA from Escherichia coli have been prepared by a vapour diffusion method. X-ray diffraction photographs showed that the crystals gave reflections up to 3.7Å spacing. They have a trigonal space group P3₁ 2 1 (or P3₂ 2 1) and cell-dimensions a=97.2, b=97.2, c=94.8Å. Crystals of a mercury derivative of this transfer RNA have also been obtained, and an X-ray diffraction photograph of one of them is presented. Formylmethionine-transfer RNA from E. coli was crystallized in various forms, and the appearance of the polymorphs was found to depend upon the amount of spermine in the solution from which the crystallization took place. Crystals of tyrosinetransfer RNA and glycine-transfer RNA have also been obtained.