Identification of diadenosine-triphosphate in mature bovine lenses

Mature bovine lenses contain 75-100 μM of a previously unidentified nucleoside polyphosphate. Using 31P NMR spectroscopy we have identified this compound as diadenosine-5′,5‴-triphosphate. The accumulation of this compound in the lens may be a consequence of the high levels of activities of t-RNA synthetases during lens differentiation and growth. The function, if any, of this compound in the bovine lenses is presently unknown.