#Id: 7075
#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes
isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase has a nearby editing pocket (a deep cleft in the enzyme) that allows it to proofread the product of the adenylylation reaction. AMP-valine (as well as adenylylates of other small amino acids, such as alanine) can fit into this editing pocket, where it is hydrolyzed and released as free valine and AMP. In contrast, AMP-isoleucine is too large to enter the editing pocket and is therefore not subject to hydrolysis. As a consequence, isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase discriminates against valine twice: in the initial binding and adenylylation of the amino acid (discriminating by a factor of 100), and then in the editing of the adenylylated amino acid (again discriminating by a factor of 100), for an
overall selectivity of 10,000-fold (i.e., an error rate of 0.01%).
