Covalent Attachment of a Fluorescent Group to 4-Thiouridine in Transfer RNA

Abstract

The 4-thiouridine in E. coli tRNA^fMet was specifically modified by reaction with the fluorescent compound 4-bromomethyl-7-methoxy-2-oxo-2H-benzopyran in homogeneous aqueous solution. The modified 4-thiouridine in the tRNA did not affect the amino-acylation by the homologous aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase.