Methylation of t-RNA: Effect of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Rat

Abstract

Summary Methylation of t-RNA is studied both in vivo and in vitro in rat liver. Addition of either vitamin B₁₂ or DMBC-coenzyme to the in vitro system improves significantly the rate of methyl incorporation from methionine-C¹⁴H₃. Cold S-adenosylmethionine does not dilute the radioactivity incorporated from serine-3-C¹⁴. An alternate pathway of t-RNA methylation involving methyl-B₁₂ is suggested.