Valyl tRNA Synthetase (VARS)

Valyl-tRNA synthetase is an enzyme that encoded by the VARS gene . Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze the aminoacylation of tRNA by their cognate amino acid. Because of their central role in linking amino acids with nucleotide triplets contained in tRNAs, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are thought to be among the first proteins that appeared in evolution. The protein encoded by this gene belongs to class-I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family and is located in the class III region of the major histocompatibility complex.VARS cDNA encoding a deduced 1,265-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 140,457 Da. Comparison of the amino acid sequence with those in protein databases showed 38 to 48% identity to valyl-tRNA of bacteria and yeast.