Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are ancient molecules whose origin goes back to the beginning of
life on Earth. Key partners in the ribosome‐translation machinery, tRNAs read genetic
information on messenger RNA and deliver codon specified amino acids attached to their
distal 3′‐extremity for peptide bond synthesis on the ribosome. In addition to this universal
function, tRNAs participate in a wealth of other biological processes and undergo intricate
maturation events. Our understanding of tRNA biology has been mainly phenomenological …

Full sets of transfer RNAs (tRNAs) specific for the 20 proteinogenic amino acids are present
in all organisms of the three kingdoms of life and partial sets are even encoded in genomes
of viral taxa. 1, 2 These ancient molecules are best known for their adapter function during
translation of genetic information, providing the interface between nucleic acids and proteins
during ribosome-dependent protein synthesis. Evolution has shaped tRNAs into compact
objects of small size,∼ 75 nucleotides (nts), recognized either