Animal DNA-dependent RNA polymerases. Analysis of the RNAs synthesized on Simian virus 40 superhelical DNA by mammalian RNA polymerases AI and B

Formation of a single phosphodiester bond by RNA polymerase B from calf thymus is not inhibited by alpha-amanitin

The template-directed synthesis of a single phosphodiester bond by highly purified calf thymus RNA polymerase B is not inhibited by high concentrations of alpha-amanitin (10(-6) M). However, a subsequent internucleotide bond is not synthesized in the presence of alpha-amanitin. These results suggest that translocation of the nascent RNA and RNA polymerase B along the DNA template is the enzymatic process inhibited by alpha-amanitin. It is also shown that the formation of a single phosphodiester bond by RNA polymerase B results in a stable ternary transcription complex, i.e., between the enzyme, the DNA, and the nascent RNA. Under reaction conditions which normally favor the elongation of RNA, the transcriptional process is arrested at initiation by alpha-amanitin. Such ternary initiation complexes have been isolated by agarose gel electrophoresis.

Effect of DNA gyrase inhibitors on gene expression of the cysteine regulon

Nalidixic acid inhibits the expression of those cysteine genes which are regulated by the cysB product, it has no affect, however, on the constitutively-expressed cysE gene. The expression of cysteine genes in a strain carrying a mutation in the nalA locus is resistant to this drug. Novobiocin affects the expression of cysteine genes similarly to nalidixic acid. The effect of nalidixic acid on the expression of genes in a cysteine constitutive mutant was studied.

Efficient and selective initiation by yeast RNA polymerase B in a dinucleotide-primed reaction

Yeast RNA polymerase B catalyzes an efficient abortive initiation on double-stranded DNA templates using the appropriate combination of primer and substrate. The specificity of initiation was investigated using a recombinant plasmid (pJD14 DNA) containing the structural gene for yeast alcohol dehydrogenase I (ADHI). The combination of the dinucleotide UpA and UTP was 10 fold more efficient with pJD14 DNA than with the vector pBR322 DNA to direct the synthesis of the trinucleotide UpApU. Under these conditions, stable enzyme-DNA complexes were formed and could be retained on nitrocellulose filters. Using the UpA-primed system and a short pulse of RNA synthesis, transcription complexes were located on the yeast part of pJD14 DNA as evidenced by agarose gel electrophoresis. Southern hybridization of the pulsed RNA was restricted to a region, within the yeast DNA fragment, upstream to the initial region of the ADHI gene.

Transcription of reconstituted simian virus 40 nucleoprotein complexes

The regulatory effects of host cellular histones on the transcription of simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA were investigated by using reconstituted and native SV40 nucleoprotein complexes (NPCs). Reconstituted NPCs were prepared from SV40 DNA and the combination fraction of five histones, H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4, isolated from the nuclei of permissive (CV-1) or nonpermissive (BALB/c 3T3, rat liver, and calf thymus) cells. Native NPCs were prepared by alkali disruption of purified SV40 virions. Nuclease digestion of these NPCs gave regular patterns of bands similar to those of SV40 NPCs from SV40-infected CV-1 cells, suggesting the presence of a nucleosomal structure. Transcription of NPCs was analyzed in vitro by using Escherichia coli DNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Both histone H1 and the fraction consisting of all five histones inhibited transcription of SV40 DNA by about 90 to 95%. The fraction consisting of four histones lacking H1 reduced the transcription by 30 to 35%, to a level similar to that of transcription with native NPCs. Transcription was inhibited regardless of whether the origin of histones was permissive or nonpermissive cells. Gel electrophoretic patterns of RNA products transcribed from SV40 DNA and reconstituted and native NPCs showed several identical peaks between 13S and 28S. The patterns were identical whether NPCs reconstituted with H1 alone, all five histones, or four histones lacking H1 were used.

In vitro transcription by wheat germ ribonucleic acid polymerase II: effects of heparin and role of template integrity

Double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from bacteriophage lambda is a good template for wheat germ DNA-dependent ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase II. We delineated conditions for obtaining maximum polymerase activity using as template both the relatively intact DNA extracted from the the lambda phage and DNA into which single-strand nicks have been introduced by deoxyribonuclease (DNase) I digestion. The deliberate introduction of nicks produces a modest increase in transcription. The NaCl and MgCl2 optima are broader with the nicked template, so that higher concentrations of these salts are needed before polymerase activity begins to decline. Heparin inhibits initiation but not elongation by wheat germ polymerase. Polymerase can be protected against heparin inhibition by forming binary complexes with the template. The formation of these complexes is reduced at low temperature. The complexes, once formed, decay in the presence of heparin with a half-life of 10--20 min. The number of complexes is highly dependent on the degree of nicking of the template, suggesting that single-strand nicks are the predominant type of site where these heparin-resistant complexes are formed. Our data do not allow us to decide whether or not the presence of nicks plays as decisive a role in the absence of heparin.

Transcription by eukaryotic RNA polymerases A and B of chromatin assembled in vitro

Chromatin was assembled in vitro from simian virus 40 DNA form I and the calf-thymus four histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4. Transcription with calf thymus RNA polymerases A and B (I and II) was greatly inhibited. Nucleosomes were found to inhibit both RNA chain initiation and elongation. The inhibition of elongation could be relieved by increasing ionic strength, suggesting that electrostatic interactions between histone octamer and DNA have to be broken for RNA polymerase to transcribe DNA organised into nucleosomes.

Form II DNA-dependent RNA polymerase from Drosophila melanogaster: general in vitro catalytic properties and template interactions

Several in vitro properties of partially purified form II RNA polymerase from Drosophila melanogaster embryo nuclei are described. The enzyme preparation is free from contaminating RNase, protein kinase, and polyphosphate kinase activities and can be used to study the incorporation of gamma-32P-labeled nucleoside triphosphates. The enzyme exhibits a biphasic heat inactivation pattern which is probably related to differential lability of its two subforms. However, a considerable protection against heat inactivation is provided by the nucleoside triphosphates present in the in vitro reaction system such that the enzyme catalyzes RNA synthesis in a nearly linear mode for over 2 hr at 30 C. Two initiation inhibitors, rifamycin AF/013 was found unsuitable for critical studies because of the high concentrations necessary for total inhibition (200 micrograms/ml) and particularly because of the obligate use of solvents which secondarily have a destabilizing effect on native DNA. Poly[I] was found to effectively block initiation at very low concentrations (1 microgram/ml). The enzyme rapidly forms poly[I]-resistant preinitiation complexes on both double- and single-stranded DNA. These complexes decay with a half-life of 2.5--3 min. RNA synthesis from poly[I]-resistant complexes amounts to 10% of the total potential synthesis on both double- and single-stranded DNA. Enzyme-DNA saturation experiments indicate that the form II enzyme discriminates two types of sites on Drosophila DNA, tight binding and weak binding, from which RNA synthesis proceeds slowly and rapidly, respectively. The tight-binding sites appear to be analogous to those sites with which the enzyme is able to form poly[I]-resistant complexes.

Transcriptional properties of nucleoli isolated from Tetrahymena

Nucleoli can be isolated from Tetrahymena in a yield of 30-60%. The isolated nucleoli contain rDNA (at least 90% pure) and have a protein to DNA ratio of 30:1. The endogenous RNA-polymerase activity of the r-chromatin has the following properties: (i) The in vitro transcript has a maximal size identical to the in vivo 35S rRNA precursor, demonstrating correct termination on the gene, (ii) 79% of the in vitro transcript is complementary to cDNA of 17S and 25S rRNA which is close to the theoretical maximum for the 35S rRNA precursor, (iii) the elongation rate of the endogenous RNA-polymerase molecules is 9-12 nucleotides/sec, (iv) an average of 4-16 active RNA polymerases are associated with each rDNA molecule depending upon the preparation.

Fidelity of synthesis of preribosomal RNA in isolated nucleoli and nucleolar chromatin

Comparisons were made of the T1 ribonuclease digests of 32P-labeled nucleolar 45S RNA of intact Novikoff hepatoma cells and the RNA synthesized in vitro by isolated nucleoli. Approximately 200 oligonucleotide spots were found in the two-dimensional chromatogram of 45S nucleolar RNA labeled in vivo, which includes fragments of 18S and 28S rRNA and nonconserved spacer regions; four spots containing 2'-O-methyl nucleotides were not found in the corresponding pattern of RNA labeled in vitro. This high degree of fidelity was retained in the patterns of spots from the RNA produced with nucleolar chromatin as template. This specific expression of rDNA was lost when the nucleolar chromatin was completely deproteinized. Specific spots found in the control patterns were absent and many nonspecific oligonucleotides were found to be labeled. A similar nonspecific chromatogram pattern was found when nucleolar chromatin was transcribed with RNA polymerase (nucleosidetriphosphate:RNA nucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.6) of Escherichia coli. These results show that specificity of genetic expression in vitro of isolated chromatin of eukaryotic systems is dependent on the chromatin-associated proteins and the type of RNA polymerase present.

Transcription of yeast DNA by homologous RNA polymerases I and II: selective transcription of ribosomal genes by RNA polymerase I

Purified yeast DNA was transcribed by homologous RNA polymerases I and II and Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. Transcripts synthesized in vitro were analyzed by molecular hybridization with complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesized from yeast poly(A)-containing mRNA with viral reverse transcriptase and ribosomal DNA labeled in vitro by nick translation with E. coli DNA polymerase I. RNA synthesized by polymerase I and II in the presence of Mn2+ contained sequences complementary to cDNA and rDNA at a frequency consistent with random transcription of the template. Similarly, E. coli RNA polymerase synthesized an apparently random transcript in the presence of either Mn2+ or Mg2+. In contrast to these results, RNA polymerase I but not polymerase II transcripts were markedly enriched in sequences complementary to rDNA when transcription was carried out in the presence of Mg2+. The observed enrichment was 15-30-fold higher than observed for polymerase II or E. coli polymerase transcripts and is consistent with the transcript being comprised of 6-10% ribosomal sequences. These data strongly suggest that RNA polymerase I plays a critical role in selective transcription of ribosomal cistrons.

Daunorubicin inhibition of DNA-dependent RNA polymerases from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Two different forms of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase have been solubilized and purified from nuclei of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The purification procedure involves ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. The separation of A and B activities is achieved by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Nuclei are prepared from cells, sensitive or resistant to daunorubicin. RNA polymerases A and B have an absolute requirement of divalent cations for activity. Native DNAs are better templates than heat-denatured DNAs for RNA polymerase A. On the contrary heat-denatured DNA is more transcribed than the native one by RNA polymerase B. The low level of transcription of total and nucleolar ascites DNAs is due to the DNA, the same results being obtained with ascites and calf thymus RNA polymerases A and B. The inhibitory action of daunorubicin on RNA polymerases A and B from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells has been studied in vitro. The same results are obtained with enzymes extracted from sensitive or resistant cells. Daunorubicin does not inhibit the binding of RNA polymerases to the DNA template, but prevents the transformation of the DNA-daunorubicin-RNA-polymerase unstable complex into the highly stable one. This inactive ternary complex has a dissociation rate faster than the stable complex formed without daunorubicin. The size of the RNA synthesized in the presence or absence of daunorubicin is the same.

Characterization of adenovirus type 2 transcriptional complexes isolated from infected HeLa cell nuclei

HeLa cell nuclei, isolated 17 h after infection with human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2), were treated with 200 mM ammonium sulfate. The extract (S200 fraction) contained 50 to 70% of the nonintegrated Ad2 DNA, which was in the form of nucleoprotein complexes. These complexes contained native, intact Ad2 DNA (with the exception of replicative intermediates) and could be partially purified and resolved by velocity gradient centrifugation. Using high-salt (200 mM ammonium sulfate) incubation conditions, more than 95% of the nuclear RNA polymerase activity belonged to class B. About 45% of the class B enzyme molecules bound to DNA in the nuclei (those "engaged" in RNA synthesis) were released from the nuclei in the form of Ad2 transcriptional complexes by treatment with 200 mM ammonium sulfate. At least 90% of the RNA synthesized in high salt in the nuclei or in the S200 fraction was Ad2 specific, and essentially all of this RNA was complementary to the l strand of Ad2 DNA. These findings are compatible with what is known about Ad2-specific RNA synthesis in vivo. The analysis of the RNA synthesized from partially purified transcriptional complexes supports the contention that its transcription is almost entirely asymmetric, and that the asymmetry observed in vivo is not a consequence of the rapid degradation of h-strand transcripts. The RNA synthesized in vitro in the absence of detectable RNase activity sedimented with a maximum size of 35 to 40S. Less than 5% of the nuclear or the S200 fraction RNA polymerase activity was class C when assayed under non-reinitiating conditions. Although much of the RNA synthesized by the class C enzyme was Ad2 specific, 5.5S virus-associated RNA was not the predominant product. The isolation of Ad2 DNA transcriptional complexes provides an attractive system for further characterizing the Ad2 DNA template used for transcription and for studying the regulation of the expression of the Ad2 genome during the productive infection cycle.

Nuclear ribonucleoproteins as inhibitors of mammalian RNA polymerase

A ribonucleoprotein complex isolated from rabbit thymus nuclear lysates was found to be an inhibitor of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II. The inhibition appeared to be of a competitive type and was completely reversed by high concentration of DNA. Highest inhibition was observed when enzyme and complex were preincubated before addition of DNA while there was little inhibition after enzyme had started synthesis on the DNA template. The RNA isolated from the complex was equally inhibitory and was a more effective inhibitor than either tRNA or rRNA.

Animal DNA-dependent RNA polymerases. Partial purification and properties of three classes of RNA polymerases from uninfected and adenovirus-infected HeLa cells

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase was solubilized from normal and adenovirus-2 infected HeLa cells. Multiple peaks of enzyme activity were separated by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. In addition to class A and B enzyme activities (respectively insensitive and sensitive to inhibition by 10 nM alpha-amanitin), three peaks of class C enzyme activity were found which are sensitive to inhibition by alpha-amanitin only at much higher concentrations (0.1 mM). Rechromatography of these class C peaks indicates that they are not chromatographic artifacts. Class C enzymes differ from class A and B enzymes by several criteria including inhibition by alpha-amanitin, immunological properties, and the ability to transcribe native calf thymus DNA at high ionic strength. However, the ionic strength optimum and the divalent cation requirements of class C enzymes are not invariant characteristics of the enzymes and are markedly dependent on the nature and the amount of template in the reaction. No differences, either qualitative or quantitative, were found between the multiple enzymes isolated from normal or adenovirus-2 infected cells. All of the partially purified HeLa cell RNA polymerases were able to transcribe an intact double-stranded adenovirus-2 DNA under conditions where no transcription occurred with purified calf thymus AI and B RNA polymerases. Since the multiple enzymes were devoid of endonuclease and exonuclease activities, the ability of the partially purified enzymes to transcribe adenovirus-2 DNA cannot be ascribed to initiation of RNA synthesis at nicks of single-stranded regions of the DNA. No differences in transcriptional ability between corresponding enzyme classes from normal or infected cells, but a comparison of the ability of the various enzyme classes to transcribe intact viral DNA revealed large differences. Although partially purified HeLa class A and B enzymes were able to initiate on the intact viral DNA to a limited extent only, it appears that the class C enzymes transcribe intact duplex DNA much more efficiently than any other class of eukaryotic polymerase yet reported.

RNA metabolism in nuclei isolated from HeLa cells

Nuclei with low cytoplasmic contamination, capable of synthesizing RNA for an extended period of time, were prepared from HeLa cells. Besides elongating RNA chains already initiated in vivo, the nuclear preparation initiates the synthesis of new RNA chains. This was shown by labelling the newly synthesized RNA with [gamma-32P]GTP and by detecting the presence of labelled guanosine tetraphosphate among the alkaline hydrolysis products of synthesized RNA. By synthesizing RNA in the presence of each of the four gamma-32P-labelled nucleoside triphosphates, it was possible to conclude that RNA chain synthesis starts predominantly with a purine base. Both nucleolar and nucleoplasmic RNAs are made. The nuclear preparation methylates the nucleolar RNA by utilizing S-adenosyl-L-methionine as a methyl-group donor.

Structure and transcription specificity of yeast RNA polymerase A

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase A (Nucleosidetriphosphate: RNA nucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.6) was isolated from whole yeast cells and purified to a nearly homogeneous state. The subunit structure as well as the transcription specificity of the purified enzyme were investigated. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturating conditions revealed that yeast polymerase A is made up of two large subunits having mol. wts of 190 000 and 135 000, and five smaller subunits with mol. wts of 54 000, 44 000, 35 000, 25 000 and 16 000, respectively. The molar ratios of all these polypeptides were found to be about unity. The transcription specificity of yeast polymerase A was tested using homologous nuclear DNA as a template. The in vitro synthesized RNA was characterized by determining its degree of self-complementarity and its ability to compete with purified ribosomal RNA in hybridization experiments. It was found that yeast polymerase A is capable of a highly selective transcription in vitro of the rRNA cistrons, provided DNA of high integrity is used as a template.

Chromatin as a template for RNA synthesis in vitro

RNA transcribed in vitro from myeloblast chromatin by exogenously added RNA polymerase B predominantly consists of short chains that remain in hybrid structure with the template; the remainder of the product is free RNA of heterogeneous size. Addition of polyanions during synthesis caused an increase in the size and amount of free RNA with a concomitant decrease in the proportion of small RNA. The large molecular weight RNA is derived from the short RNA chains, which are synthesized de novo during the reaction in vitro. The effect of polyanions on the size and nature of the product may be related to structural changes induced in the template rather than to an inhibition of nuclease activity.