Participation of the tRNA A76 hydroxyl groups throughout translation

The free 2 - 3 cis- diol at the 3 - terminus of tRNA provides a unique juxtaposition of functional groups that play critical roles during protein synthesis. The translation process involves universally conserved chemistry at almost every stage of this multistep procedure, and the 2 - and 3 - OHs are in the immediate vicinity of chemistry at each step. The cis- diol contribution affects steps ranging from tRNA aminoacylation to peptide bond formation. The contributions have been studied in assays related to translation over a period that spans at least three decades. In this review, we follow the 2 - and 3 - OHs through the steps of translation and examine the involvement of these critical functional groups.