Nuclear magnetic resonance studies on yeast tRNAPhe I. Assignment of the iminoproton resonances of the acceptor and D stem by means of Nuclear Overhauser Effect experiments at 500 MHz.

Resonances of the water exchangeable iminoprotons of the acceptor and D stem of yeast tRNAPhe have been assigned by means of Nuclear Overhauser Effects (NOE's). Assignments were made for spectra recorded from tRNA dialysed against a buffer with 110 mM sodium and 5 mM magnesium ions and against a buffer with 430 mM sodium and no magnesium ions. Remarkable is the assignment of a resonance at 13.6 - 13.7 ppm to the iminoproton of C11G24. This assignment as well as those of G1C72, G3C70, U7A66, U12A23 and C13G22 are different from those made previously on the basis of less direct evidence. NOE experiments performed at 45 degrees C support the view that the D stem together with the tertiary interaction U8A14 is one of the most stable parts of the molecule in the presence of magnesium ions. A comparison of the spectra recorded under the two different buffer conditions shows that an excess of 320 mM sodium ions is not capable to force the tRNA in the same conformation as 5 mM magnesium ions can do.