The 15-nucleotide analog of yeast tRNA(Phe) anticodon arm binds cooperatively to two sites of poly(U) programmed 40S ribosome like intact tRNA(Phe). The cooperativity coefficients appeared to be about 4 for tRNA(Phe) and 50 for its anticodon arm. Anticodon arm contributes the majority of free energy of tRNA binding to a programmed 40S ribosomal subunit. The correct codon-anticodon pairing seems to play the key role in the cooperativity origin. Contrary to the anticodon arm template independent binding of the whole tRNA to the small ribosomal subunit is revealed.