Methyldeficient mammalian 4s RNA: evidence for L-ethionine-induced inhibition of N6-dimethyladenosine synthesis in rat liver tRNA.

The nucleotide composition of 4s RNA from livers of rats fed with a diet containing 0.3% D-ethionine was found to be identical with that from untreated animals. In contrast, one single modified nucleotide was absent in 4s RNA from livers of rats fed with a 0.3% L-ethionine diet. The minor nucleo=tide was also absent in liver 4s RNA from rats fed with a 0.3% L-ethionine diet followed by ten days of normal food. It was identified after dephosphorylation by ultraviolet absorption spectra, cochromatography with authentic material and mass spectra as N(6)-dimethyladenosine. It is concluded that S-adenosylethionine, the primary product of L-ethionine in the liver, causes strong and selective inhibition of the specific RNA-methylase responsible for adenosine to N(6)-dimethyl=adenosine methylation in rat liver 4s RNA. Compared to the strong inhibition of N(6)-dimethyladenosine formation described here, L-ethionine-dependent ethylation of liver 4s RNA is far less efficient. The quantitation of l-methyladenosine, ribothymidine and 3'-terminal adenosine in this 4s RNA as well as its aminoacid acceptor activity is typical for tRNA; hence it may be concluded that N(6)-dimethyladenosine is a component of rat liver tRNA. This may demonstrate the first evidence for the existence of specifically methyl-deficient mammalian tRNA. A possible correlation between the activity of L-ethionine as a liver carcinogen and its ability to induce the formation of methyl-deficient tRNA by selectively inhibiting the synthesis of N(6)-dimethyladenosine on the tRNA level in the same organ is discussed.