Nucleotide sequence of the bacteriophage T5 DNA fragment which contains the gene for tRNAAsp

The nucleotide sequence of bacteriophage T 5 tRNAAsp has been determined by conventional methods using thin-layer chromatography on cellulose for oligonucleotide fractionation. It exhibits several unusual features, such as (a) the displacement of the constant residues U-8, A-14 and R-15; (b) the presence of three G · U out of four base pairs in the d-stem. The gene for T 5 tRNAAsp has been cloned in pBR322 and sequenced. The analysis of the flanking regions shows the presence of two open reading frames on both sides of this gene. It has also been shown that the cloned gene is expressed in Escherichia coli, and RNase P is involved in the T 5 tRNAAsp processing.