Bacterial aminoacyl-tRNA charging

Bacterial production of aminoacyl-tRNAs for translation through direct aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase reactions. Asparaginyl-tRNA formation is modeled as alternative direct AsnRS or indirect non-discriminating AspRS-GatABC routes, and glutaminyl-tRNA formation as alternative direct GlnRS or indirect GluRS-GatABC routes. The reusable boundary ends when a correctly charged canonical aminoacyl-tRNA is formed.

MODULE:bacterial_aminoacyl_trna_chargingDRAFTBiological Processmodules/bacterial_aminoacyl_trna_charging.yaml
tRNA aminoacylationGO:0043039
GO:0043039
tRNA aminoacylation
Grounds the module-level biological process while substrate-specific aminoacyl-tRNA ligase activities remain on leaf annotons.
KEGG:ppu00970
Pseudomonas putida KT2440 aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis
Supplies the concrete PSEPK candidates used to test this reusable module.
file:projects/P_PUTIDA/data/psepk_pathway_partition.tsv
PSEPK pathway partition
Supplies exact PSEPK locus tags and UniProt accessions for KEGG ppu00970.
file:PSEPK/gltX/gltX-uniprot.txt
UniProtKB entry for PSEPK GltX
Grounds the exact Q88LF6 exemplar and documents direct Glu-tRNA(Glu) formation without asserting tRNA(Gln) recognition.
PMID:14729703
Direct glutaminyl-tRNA biosynthesis and indirect asparaginyl-tRNA biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1
Establishes the Pseudomonas indirect Asn-tRNA(Asn) route through non-discriminating AspRS and GatABC, while direct GlnRS supplies Gln-tRNA(Gln).
file:modules/bacterial_aminoacyl_trna_charging-deep-research-openscientist.md
OpenScientist review of bacterial aminoacyl-tRNA charging
Reviews the class I and class II charging systems, multimeric bacterial GlyRS and PheRS architectures, and the direct-versus-indirect Asn-tRNA and Gln-tRNA route variants used to define the reusable module boundary.
file:modules/experimental/gapmind-mining/cache/gapmind/aa/gln.steps
GapMind curated glutamine biosynthesis step definitions
Identifies reviewed Thermosynechococcus Q8DLI5 as a curated Swiss-Prot exemplar of non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase activity.

Concrete representative members orient each conserved family role and do not restrict the reusable module to their source species. PANTHER subfamily names are recorded verbatim even where organellar exemplars dominate the official label; member containment confirms each listed PSEPK protein. No PANTHER term is used where one subfamily mixes functionally distinct selectors, and no ancestral PTN is asserted without target-to-node descendant evidence. GO release 2026-07-26 obsoleted GO:0070680 (asparaginyl-tRNAAsn biosynthesis via transamidation) with replaced_by GO:0070981 (L-asparagine biosynthetic process); that redirect leaves the tRNA-charging branch, since the indirect route ends at Asn-tRNA(Asn) rather than free asparagine, so the indirect_aspartyl_gatabc_route concept is grounded in GO:0043039 (tRNA aminoacylation), the is_a parent GO:0070680 shared with its twin GO:0070681 before obsoletion. The GO snapshot served by QuickGO (2026-09-22) already obsoletes GO:0006421 and GO:0006425 (replaced_by GO:0006418) and GO:0070681 (consider GO:0043039), so the asparaginyl and glutaminyl node concepts will need a further refresh when that release reaches the validation cache.

14Nodes
9Parts
2Variant Sets
4Variants
24Annotons
2Connections

Derived QC

Recommended-field compliance

85.7% recommended fields populated
  • knowledge_gaps[0].provenance[0] · reference_section_type (0/1)

Module deep research

✓ present

  • bacterial_aminoacyl_trna_charging-deep-research-openscientist.md (openscientist)

Leaf nodes lacking representative members

✓ every leaf node grounds to a representative protein.

Template conformance

✓ every declared conforms_to bundle matches its template motif.

Gene-review completeness (24/26 grounded genes reviewed)

19 complete review(s) · 0 with deep research · 2 missing review · 24 reviewed but lacking deep research

Gene Review Complete Deep research
alaS Q88EI8 ✓ 12/13 ✗
argS Q88CU1 ✓ ✓ ✗
aspS Q88NJ4 ✓ ✓ ✗
cysS Q88IU4 ✓ ✓ ✗
gatA Q88PB9 ✓ 8/9 ✗
gatB Q88PC0 ✓ 8/9 ✗
gatC Q88PB8 ✓ 5/6 ✗
glnS Q88IU5 ✓ ✓ ✗
gltX Q88LF6 ✓ ✓ ✗
glyQ Q88RR8 ✓ ✓ ✗
glyS Q88RR9 ✓ ✓ ✗
hisS Q88PJ6 ✓ ✓ ✗
ileS Q88Q92 ✓ ✓ ✗
leuS Q88DN1 ✓ ✓ ✗
lysS Q88MS3 ✓ ✓ ✗
metG Q88NV7 ✓ ✓ ✗
AsnS (ECOLI) P0A8M0 ✗ — —
pheS Q88K23 ✓ ✓ ✗
pheT Q88K22 ✓ 7/8 ✗
proS Q88NK2 ✓ ✓ ✗
GluRS (Thermosynechococcus vestitus; non-discriminating) Q8DLI5 ✗ — —
serS Q88FT2 ✓ ✓ ✗
thrS Q88K27 ✓ ✓ ✗
trpS Q88NA1 ✓ ✓ ✗
tyrS Q88QQ2 ✓ ✓ ✗
valS Q88P76 ✓ ✓ ✗

Details

Context
bacteriaNCBITaxon:2
bacterial aminoacyl-tRNA chargingBiological Processbacterial_aminoacyl_trna_charging
tRNA aminoacylationGO:0043039
Context
bacteriaNCBITaxon:2
Part 1: direct aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase routes
Direct aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase chargingBiological Processdirect_aars_routes

Cognate amino acids are activated with ATP and transferred directly to their tRNAs by substrate-specific aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

Part 1: class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases
Class I direct tRNA chargingBiological Processclass_i_direct_charging

Annotons

Glutamate-tRNA ligase family
gltx_glutamate_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial glutamate-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial glutamate-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR43311:SF2
Representative Members: GltX (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88LF6

Function

glutamate-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004818

Direct formation of Glu-tRNA(Glu).

Arginine-tRNA ligase family
args_arginine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial arginine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial arginine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR11956:SF5
Representative Members: ArgS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88CU1

Function

arginine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004814

Direct formation of Arg-tRNA(Arg).

Cysteine-tRNA ligase family
cyss_cysteine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial cysteine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial cysteine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR10890:SF3
Representative Members: CysS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88IU4

Function

cysteine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004817

Direct formation of Cys-tRNA(Cys).

Isoleucine-tRNA ligase family
iles_isoleucine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial isoleucine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial isoleucine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR42765:SF1
Representative Members: IleS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88Q92

Function

isoleucine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004822

Direct formation of Ile-tRNA(Ile).

Leucine-tRNA ligase family
leus_leucine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial leucine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial leucine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR43740:SF2
Representative Members: LeuS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88DN1

Function

leucine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004823

Direct formation of Leu-tRNA(Leu).

Methionine-tRNA ligase family
metg_methionine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial methionine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial methionine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR45765:SF1
Representative Members: MetG (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88NV7

Function

methionine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004825

Direct formation of Met-tRNA(Met), including initiator tRNA charging.

Tryptophan-tRNA ligase family
trps_tryptophan_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial tryptophan-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial tryptophan-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR43766:SF1
Representative Members: TrpS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88NA1

Function

tryptophan-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004830

Direct formation of Trp-tRNA(Trp).

Tyrosine-tRNA ligase family
tyrs_tyrosine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial tyrosine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial tyrosine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR11766:SF1
Representative Members: TyrS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88QQ2

Function

tyrosine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004831

Direct formation of Tyr-tRNA(Tyr).

Valine-tRNA ligase family
vals_valine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial valine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial valine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR11946:SF93
Representative Members: ValS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88P76

Function

valine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004832

Direct formation of Val-tRNA(Val).

Part 2: class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases
Class II direct tRNA chargingBiological Processclass_ii_direct_charging

Annotons

Serine-tRNA ligase family
sers_serine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial serine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial serine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR43697:SF1
Representative Members: SerS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88FT2

Function

serine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004828

Direct formation of Ser-tRNA(Ser).

Alanine-tRNA ligase family
alas_alanine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial alanine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial alanine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR11777:SF9
Representative Members: AlaS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88EI8

Function

alanine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004813

Direct formation of Ala-tRNA(Ala).

Aspartate-tRNA ligase family
asps_aspartate_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial non-discriminating aspartate-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial non-discriminating aspartate-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR22594:SF5
Representative Members: AspS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88NJ4

Function

aspartate-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004815

Direct formation of Asp-tRNA(Asp); non-discriminating family members can also supply Asp-tRNA(Asn) to GatABC.

Heterotetrameric glycine-tRNA ligase
glyqs_glycine_charging
Participant: Protein Complex: bacterial alpha2-beta2 glycyl-tRNA synthetase
Protein Complex:
bacterial alpha2-beta2 glycyl-tRNA synthetase
Active units:
GlyQ alpha catalytic subunit
Participant: Family: bacterial GlyQ alpha-subunit family
Family:
bacterial GlyQ alpha-subunit family
Representative Members: GlyQ (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88RR8
Role: Amino acid activation and catalytic alpha subunit.
GlyS beta tRNA-recognition subunit
Participant: Family: bacterial GlyS beta-subunit family
Family:
bacterial GlyS beta-subunit family
Representative Members: GlyS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88RR9
Role: Beta subunit required for cognate tRNA recognition and complex activity.

Function

glycine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004820

Direct formation of Gly-tRNA(Gly) by the alpha2-beta2 enzyme.

Histidine-tRNA ligase family
hiss_histidine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial histidine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial histidine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR43707:SF1
Representative Members: HisS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88PJ6

Function

histidine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004821

Direct formation of His-tRNA(His).

Lysine-tRNA ligase family
lyss_lysine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial class II lysine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial class II lysine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR42918:SF15
Representative Members: LysS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88MS3

Function

lysine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004824

Direct formation of Lys-tRNA(Lys).

Heterotetrameric phenylalanine-tRNA ligase
phest_phenylalanine_charging
Participant: Protein Complex: bacterial alpha2-beta2 phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase
Protein Complex:
bacterial alpha2-beta2 phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetaseGO:0009328
Active units:
PheS alpha catalytic subunit
Participant: Family: bacterial PheS alpha-subunit family
Family:
bacterial PheS alpha-subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR11538:SF41
Representative Members: PheS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88K23
Role: Catalytic alpha subunit of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase.
PheT beta subunit
Participant: Family: bacterial PheT beta-subunit family
Family:
bacterial PheT beta-subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR10947:SF0
Representative Members: PheT (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88K22
Role: Beta subunit required for tRNA recognition and editing.

Function

phenylalanine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004826

Direct formation of Phe-tRNA(Phe) by the alpha2-beta2 enzyme.

Proline-tRNA ligase family
pros_proline_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial proline-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial proline-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR42753:SF2
Representative Members: ProS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88NK2

Function

proline-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004827

Direct formation of Pro-tRNA(Pro).

Threonine-tRNA ligase family
thrs_threonine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial threonine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial threonine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR11451:SF44
Representative Members: ThrS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88K27

Function

threonine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004829

Direct formation of Thr-tRNA(Thr).

Part 2: asparaginyl-tRNA route choice
Asparaginyl-tRNA formationBiological Processasparaginyl_trna_charging
asparaginyl-tRNA aminoacylationGO:0006421
Variant set: Direct and indirect asparaginyl-tRNA routes by charging route (One Or More)
Direct AsnRS routeReactiondirect_asnrs_route

Annotons

Asparagine-tRNA ligase family
asns_asparagine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial asparagine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial asparagine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR22594:SF34
Representative Members: AsnS (ECOLI)UniProtKB:P0A8M0

Function

asparagine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004816

Direct ATP-dependent formation of Asn-tRNA(Asn).

Indirect AspRS-GatABC routeMetabolic Pathwayindirect_aspartyl_gatabc_route
asparaginyl-tRNA biosynthesis via transamidationGO:0043039

Connections

Asp-tRNA(Asn) is the immediate GatABC substrate.
Part 1: misacylated Asp-tRNA(Asn) formation
Asp-tRNA(Asn) precursor formationReactionnondiscriminating_asprs_step

Annotons

Non-discriminating AspRS family
asps_nondiscriminating_charging
Participant: Family: non-discriminating bacterial aspartate-tRNA ligases
Family:
non-discriminating bacterial aspartate-tRNA ligases
Representative Members: AspS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88NJ4

Function

aspartate-tRNA(Asn) ligase activityGO:0050560

Produces Asp-tRNA(Asn) for transamidation.

Part 2: GatABC-dependent transamidation
Asp-tRNA(Asn) to Asn-tRNA(Asn)Protein Complexgatabc_asparaginyl_transamidation_step
glutamyl-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase complexGO:0030956

Annotons

GatABC aspartyl-tRNA(Asn) amidotransferase
gatabc_asparaginyl_trna_synthase
Participant: Protein Complex: bacterial GatABC amidotransferase
Protein Complex:
bacterial GatABC amidotransferaseGO:0030956
Active units:
GatA glutaminase subunit
Participant: Family: GatA subunit family
Family:
GatA subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR11895:SF151
Representative Members: GatA (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88PB9
Role: Supplies ammonia from glutamine.
GatB synthetase subunit
Participant: Family: GatB subunit family
Family:
GatB subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR11659:SF0
Representative Members: GatB (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88PC0
Role: Activates the tRNA-bound aspartyl side chain for amidation.
GatC assembly subunit
Participant: Family: GatC subunit family
Family:
GatC subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR15004:SF0
Representative Members: GatC (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88PB8
Role: Structural subunit required for the GatABC complex.

Function

asparaginyl-tRNA synthase (glutamine-hydrolyzing) activityGO:0050566

Converts Asp-tRNA(Asn) to correctly charged Asn-tRNA(Asn) using glutamine and ATP.

Part 3: glutaminyl-tRNA route choice
Glutaminyl-tRNA formationBiological Processglutaminyl_trna_charging
glutaminyl-tRNA aminoacylationGO:0006425
Variant set: Direct and indirect glutaminyl-tRNA routes by charging route (One Or More)
Direct GlnRS routeReactiondirect_glnrs_route

Annotons

Glutamine-tRNA ligase family
glns_glutamine_charging
Participant: Family: bacterial glutamine-tRNA ligases
Family:
bacterial glutamine-tRNA ligasesPANTHER:PTHR43097
Representative Members: GlnS (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88IU5

Function

glutamine-tRNA ligase activityGO:0004819

Direct ATP-dependent formation of Gln-tRNA(Gln).

Indirect GluRS-GatABC routeMetabolic Pathwayindirect_gatabc_route
glutaminyl-tRNA biosynthesis via transamidationGO:0070681

Connections

Glu-tRNA(Gln) is the immediate GatABC substrate.
Part 1: misacylated Glu-tRNA(Gln) formation
Glu-tRNA(Gln) precursor formationReactionnondiscriminating_glurs_step

Annotons

Non-discriminating GluRS family
gltx_nondiscriminating_charging
Participant: Family: non-discriminating bacterial glutamate-tRNA ligases
Family:
non-discriminating bacterial glutamate-tRNA ligases
Representative Members: GluRS (Thermosynechococcus vestitus; non-discriminating)UniProtKB:Q8DLI5

Function

glutamate-tRNA(Gln) ligase activityGO:0050561

Produces Glu-tRNA(Gln) for transamidation.

Part 2: GatABC-dependent transamidation
Glu-tRNA(Gln) to Gln-tRNA(Gln)Protein Complexgatabc_transamidation_step
glutamyl-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase complexGO:0030956

Annotons

GatABC glutamyl-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase
gatabc_glutaminyl_trna_synthase
Participant: Protein Complex: bacterial GatABC amidotransferase
Protein Complex:
bacterial GatABC amidotransferaseGO:0030956
Active units:
GatA glutaminase subunit
Participant: Family: GatA subunit family
Family:
GatA subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR11895:SF151
Representative Members: GatA (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88PB9
Role: Supplies ammonia from glutamine.
GatB synthetase subunit
Participant: Family: GatB subunit family
Family:
GatB subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR11659:SF0
Representative Members: GatB (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88PC0
Role: Activates the tRNA-bound glutamyl side chain for amidation.
GatC assembly subunit
Participant: Family: GatC subunit family
Family:
GatC subunit familyPANTHER:PTHR15004:SF0
Representative Members: GatC (PSEPK)UniProtKB:Q88PB8
Role: Structural subunit required for the GatABC complex.

Function

glutaminyl-tRNA synthase (glutamine-hydrolyzing) activityGO:0050567

Converts Glu-tRNA(Gln) to correctly charged Gln-tRNA(Gln) using glutamine and ATP.