Biochemical validation of the presence of a cP in a mouse 5′-tRNA half. Mouse spleen total RNA was treated with T4 PNK, CIP, or acid followed by CIP treatment (HCl + CIP). NT designates non-treated sample used as a negative control. The treated or non-treated RNAs were subjected to Northern blots targeting the cyto 5′-tRNAAspGUC half and miR-16. The expected terminal structures of the targeted RNA in the treated total RNA samples are shown on the right. In the analyses of cyto 5′-tRNAAspGUC, the band was similarly shifted up by the CIP treatment and by the T4 PNK treatment, and further upshift was observed by the HCl + CIP treatment, indicating the presence of a 5′-P and a 3′-cP. In the control analyses of miR-16, as expected, the CIP and HCl + CIP treatments identically shifted the band up, whereas the T4 PNK treatment caused no shift, indicating the presence of a 5′-P and a 3′-OH. A dotted red line indicated the position of the main band in NT sample, which helps to show band mobility differences.