Post‐transcriptional tRNA modifications play a critical role in ensuring a high‐quality pool of tRNA for participation in cellular translation. Despite their importance, important questions remain about the impacts of individual tRNA modifications on tRNA structure and function. Similarly, biological consequences of the absence of tRNA modifications have begun to be characterised in detail only recently. tRNA modifications have important impacts on biology, ranging from important impacts on individual tRNA molecules, to powerful effects on cellular function, and finally important roles in human health and disease.
Key Concepts
tRNA modifications occur at high frequency and with great chemical diversity.
tRNA modifications fine‐tune tRNA structure and function.
Through their effects on individual tRNA molecules, the impacts of tRNA modifications propagate to the cellular and organismal levels.
tRNA modifications can regulate translation and impact protein homeostasis.
Lack of tRNA modifications has been implicated in human diseases, such as neurological disorders, glucose metabolic defects and cancer.