RNA polymerase activity following infection with murine leukemia virus

Deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerases from murine spleen cells. Increased amounts of the nucleolar species in leukaemic tissue

1. In the spleens of infected mice, the Friend leukaemia virus induces a sharp increase in the ability of subsequently isolated nuclei to incorporate exogenous UTP into an acid-insoluble product. Inhibitor studies indicate that the incremental RNA synthesis proceeds from a DNA template and that both nucleolar and nucleoplasmic activities are involved. 2. The partially purified DNA-dependent RNA polymerases from control and virus-infected tissue are indistinguishable with respect to chromatographic mobility, dependence on bivalent cations, ionic strength, pH and their susceptibility to alpha-amanitin. The RNA polymerases of the murine spleen resemble the enzymes of other mammalian tissue in these properties. 3. A comparison of the amount of polymerase solubilized from normal and infected tissue correlates with the activity observed in assays of the respective nuclei. These experiments indicated that the increase in nucleolar RNA synthesis after infection is mediated by increased extractable polymerase I activity whereas the change in nucleoplasmic RNA synthesis results from an alteration of chromatin or a chromatin-associated factor.