Dr. Sidney Kushner from the University of Georgia gave a seminar titled "Polyadenylation Helps Regulate Function tRNA Levels in Escherichia Coli." He explained that polyadenylation is the addition of a poly(A) tail to an RNA molecule and that tRNAs in E. coli undergo various post-transcriptional modifications, including the conversion of adenosine to inosine. Through experiments separating tRNA fragments using enzymes, Dr. Kushner's team found that there is competition between enzymes that break down tRNA and that polyadenylation helps regulate the production and function of tRNAs in E. coli, findings that improve understanding of functional mechanisms within tRNAs.

1. Eduardo E. Rivera
Dr. Sydney Kushner
Polyadenylation helps Regulate FuntiontRNA Levels in Escherichia Coli
Sidney Kushner who came from the University of Georgia offered a seminar titled
“Polyadenylation Helps Regulate Function tRNA Levels in Escherichia Coli.” The two
important terms in the seminar were polyadenylation and how do you make
functional tRNA in Escherichia coli. He explained basic biological terms like the
definition of polyadenylation which is the addition of a poly(A) tail to an RNA
molecule. tRNA are unusual because after they are made they are modified. There
are around 30-35 modifications. One of the modifications was inosine, which I found
very interesting. Inosine is actually adenasine denominated and is one of the post -
transcriptional modifications made in tRNA. Using a wild type E. coli, they separated
four tRNA into smaller units using enzymes. They were comparing what they saw in
E. coli and in eukaryotes. When they saw that both E. coli and eukaryotes did not
look the same in the gel, they thought that if they eliminated enzymes, (which break
the tRNA), it would change the results. In conclusion, they found that there is a
competition in the enzymes used to break the tRNA. On the other hand,
polyadenalyation is effective in making and regulating a tRNA in E. Coli. These
findings can help to understand better the functional levels within the tRNAs.