RNA-directed DNA synthesis by the DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus: structural and functional identification of 4S primer RNA in uninfected cells (original) (raw)
1975, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
The RNA-directed DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus requires a 4S RNA molecule as primer for the initiation of DNA synthesis on the viral 70S RNA genome. We have now functionally identified primer activity in uninfected cells on the basis of the capacity of cellular 4S RNA to actively participate in the initiation of DNA synthesis by the RNA-directed DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus in vitro. This was accomplished by reconstitution experiments in which 4S RNA from uninfected avian cells was tested for its ability to restore template activity to the viral RNA genome from which all primer had been removed. Similar reconstitution experiments were employed to demonstrate a primer activity in the 4S RNA population of duck, mouse, and human cells. Primer activity appears to be absent in lower eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. Unambiguous identification of the Rous sarcoma virus primer molecule in uninfected cells was accomplished by directly purifying a 4S RNA molecule from the bulk ...
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Comparative Properties of RNA and DNA Templates for the DNA Polymerase of Rous Sarcoma Virus
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1971
Several natural RNAs were compared with respect to their template activities for the DNA polymerase of Rous Sarcoma Virus during a 2-hr incubation period. 60-70S viral RNA was found to be a 5-to 10-fold better template than heat-dissociated Rous viral RNA, influenza virus RNA, tobacco mosaic virus RNA, or ribosomal RNA. Denatured salmon DNA is a little better, and poly(dAT) is 2-4 times better as a template for the enzyme than is 60-70S Rous viral RNA. The 60-70S RNAs of different strains of avian tumor viruses have very similar template activities for a given avian tumor virus DNA polymerase. Oligo(dT) or oligo(dC) were found to enhance the template activity of heat-dissociated Rous viral RNA 20-to 30-fold, and that of other natural RNAs tested oneto several-fold. DNA syntheses of 1-24% were obtained during a 2-hour incubation of the enzyme with the above RNA templates. The results suggest that the enzyme prefers partially doublestranded or hybrid regions of RNAs for optimal DNA synthesis, but certain regions of single-stranded RNA can also serve as templates.
Journal of Virology
The influence of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-associated RNase H on the in vitro synthesis of DNA by the RSV RNA-directed DNA polymerase was determined under conditions whereby RNase H activity was selectively inhibited with NaF. Not only were we unable to detect any effect on the size, structure, or genetic complexity of the DNA product synthesized in the absence of RNase H activity, but the displacement of DNA from the 70S RNA:DNA hybrid structures was also unaffected. The suitability of 70S RNA:DNA hybrid structures synthesized in vitro to serve as a substrate for RNase H is discussed.
Journal of Virology
DNA transcripts, ranging from 1,500 to 4,500 nucleotides in length, can be identified in the DNA product synthesized in vitro by the Rous sarcoma virus-associated RNA-directed DNA polymerase. Although these DNA transcripts are considerably larger than the size classes of the DNA product previously reported, they only represent a minor proportion (less than 5%) of the total DNA synthesized in standard reaction mixtures containing rate-limiting concentration of one of the four deoxynucleoside triphosphates. However, the proportion of these larger transcripts relative to the total DNA product increases substantially when the enzymatic synthesis of DNA is performed in the presence of equimolar concentrations of deoxynucleoside triphosphate precursors. Both rate-zonal sedimentation in alkaline sucrose and nucleic acid hybridization techniques have confirmed the length and genetic complexity of these larger DNA transcripts. The identification of large DNA chains in the DNA product synthes...
Journal of Virology
Heating the 60 to 70S ribonucleic acid (RNA) of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) destroys both its subunit structure and its high template activity for RSV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase. In comparative analyses, it was found that the template activity of the RNA has a thermal transition of 70 C, whereas the 60 to 70S structure dissociates into 30 to 40S and several distinct small subunits with a Tm of 55 C. Analysis by velocity sedimentation and isopycnic centrifugation of the primary DNA product obtained by incubation of 60 to 70S RSV RNA with RSV DNA polymerase indicated that most, but perhaps not all, DNA was linked to small ( <lOS) RSV RNA primer. Sixty percent of the high template activity of 60 to 70S RSV RNA lost after heat dissociation could be recovered by incubation of the total RNA under annealing conditions. The template activity of purified 30 to 40S subunits isolated from 60 to 70S RSV RNA was not enhanced significantly by annealing. However, in the presence of small ( <1OS) subunits also isolated from 60 to 70S RNA, the template activity of 30 to 40S RNA subunits was increased to the same level as that of reannealed total 60 to 70S RNA. It was concluded that neither the 30 to 40S subunits nor most of the 4S subunits of 60 to 70S RSV RNA contribute much as primers to the template activity of 60 to 70S RSV RNA. The predominant primer molecule appears to be a minor component of the <lOS subunit fraction of 60 to 70S RSV RNA. Its electrophoretic mobility is similar to, and its dissociation temperature from 60 to 70S RSV RNA is higher than that of the bulk of 60 to 70S RSV RNA-associated 45 RNA. The role of primers in DNA synthesis by RSV DNA polymerase is discussed.
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