Highlights

• This is the first report to successfully isolate individual tRNAs from E. coli using a newly developed 2D-LC method combining WAC and IPC.
• The purified tRNAs from a non-pathogenic bacterial strain showed clear, sequence-specific anticancer effects on human colorectal cancer cells.
• The study established that bacterial tRNAs can retain native structures after purification, allowing downstream functional and structural research.

Summary

The study explores the purification, structural characterization, and anticancer activity of specific transfer RNAs (tRNAs) isolated from a non-pathogenic Escherichia coli strain (MRE600).

Researchers developed a two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) method combining weak anion-exchange and ion-pair chromatographies to isolate two individual tRNAs, tRNA-Val(UAC) and tRNA-Leu(CAG), while preserving their natural cloverleaf-like structures. Using UHPLC–MS/MS, the team confirmed the identity and purity of the tRNAs and analyzed their structural integrity. Biological assays showed that both tRNAs significantly inhibited the growth and colony formation of HCT-8 colorectal cancer cells, with IC50 values in the low nanomolar range—substantially more potent than the standard drug 5-fluorouracil.

These findings suggest that certain bacterial tRNAs may possess inherent, sequence-specific anticancer properties and could represent a novel class of bioactive molecules for therapeutic exploration.

K.-Y. Cao, Y. Pan, T.-M. Yan, and Z.-H. Jiang, “Purification, characterization and cytotoxic activities of individual tRNAs from Escherichia coli,” International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, vol. 142, pp. 355–365, Jan. 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.09.106.