Leucyl tRNA Synthetase 2, Mitochondrial (LARS2)

LARS2 encodes a class 1 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, mitochondrial leucyl-tRNA synthetase. Each of the twenty aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyzes the aminoacylation of a specific tRNA or tRNA isoaccepting family with the cognate amino acid.

By searching databases for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases containing a mitochondrial targeting sequence, Bonnefond et al. (2005) identified LARS2, which the called mitochondrial LEURS. The deduced 903-amino acid protein has an N-terminal mitochondrial targeting signal that is cleaved after residue 39. LARS2 has characteristics of a class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, including a classical Rossmann fold.