Comparative Fingerprint and Composition Analysis of the three forms of Phosphorus-32-labeled phenylalanine trna from chloramphenicol-treated escherichia coli

Phenylalanine tRNA in Escherichia coli (15THU) is comprised of a known primary sequence of nucleotides. When cells are treated with chloramphenicol three forms of this tRNA appear, each separable by reversed phase chromatography (RPC-5). Using ³²P labeling, these forms are compared by fingerprinting of their ribonuclease T₁ digestion products with three different systems differing in the second dimension: high voltage electrophoresis, polyethylenimine-cellulose thin-layer chromatography, and homochromatography. Further compositional analysis shows that the three forms are identical, but that differences exist in the extent of modification of specific minor bases.