Abstract
HETEROGENEOUS nuclear, messenger1–9 and viral1,10–16 RNAs from eukaryotic organisms contain long polyadenylate (poly (A)) sequences of unknown function. The poly (A) is located at the 3′ terminus17–21 and may be added after transcription is completed11,22. Although enzymes that can add adenylate residues to RNA have been obtained from eukaryotic organisms28–29, they have not yet been coupled with RNA synthesis in vitro and it is not known whether specific sequences in DNA or nascent RNA act as signals for the addition of adenylate residues. Vaccinia virions seem to be a uniquely suitable system for studying the biosynthesis de novo of poly (A) and its attachment to RNA. Kates and Beeson1,10 showed that isolated vaccinia virus cores synthesized poly (A) in the presence of ATP and that RNA with terminal poly (A) sequences was made in the presence of all four ribonucleoside triphosphates. They suggested1,10 that in this system the adenylate residues were added by a transcriptional mechanism, possibly by the viral DNA-dependent RNA polymerase30,31. Evidence for such a mechanism was indirect and included the finding that poly (A) synthesis was inhibited by ethidium bromide and proflavine, drugs that bind to double stranded nucleic acids by intercalation1,10. The possibility that vaccinia DNA contains poly (dA>poly (dT) tracts that could serve as templates was consistent with hybridization data and with the transcription of poly (A) sequences by E. coli RNA polymerase1,10. The potential usefulness of vaccinia virus enzymes, for the study of RNA and poly (A) synthesis, has not been fully realized because of the particulate nature of the viral core. Of the five enzymatic activities known to be present in vaccinia cores30–35, only the DNA-dependent nucleotide phosphohydrolase (ATPase) has been solubilized36. We now describe the solubilization, isolation and some interesting properties of the poly (A) polymerase from vaccinia virions.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
We are sorry, but there is no personal subscription option available for your country.
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Kates, J., Cold Spring Harbor Symp. quant. Biol., 35, 743 (1970).
Lim, L., and Canellakis, E. S., Nature, 227, 710 (1970).
Lee, S. Y., Mendecki, J., and Brawerman, G., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 68, 1331 (1971).
Edmonds, M., Vaughan, M. H., and Nakazoto, H., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 68, 1336 (1971).
Darnell, J. E., Wall, R., and Tushinski, R. J., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 68, 1321 (1971).
Pemberton, R. E., and Baglioni, C., J. molec. Biol., 65, 531 (1972).
Adesnick, M., Salditt, M., Thomas, W., and Darnell, J. E., J. molec. Biol., 71, 21 (1972).
Greenberg, J. R., and Perry, R. P., J. molec. Biol., 72, 91 (1972).
McLaughlan, C. S., Warner, J. R., Edmonds, M., Nakazoto, H., and Vaughan, M. H., J. biol Chem., 248, 1466 (1973).
Kates, J., and Beeson, J., J. molec. Biol, 50, 19 (1970).
Philipson, L., Wall, R., Glickman, G., and Darnell, J. E., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 68, 2806 (1971).
Armstrong, J. A., Edmonds, M., Nakazoto, H., Philips, B. A., and Vaughan, M. H., Science, 176, 526 (1972).
Gillespie, D., Marshall, S., and Gallo, R. C., Nature new Biol., 69, 227 (1972).
Lai, M. M. C., and Duesberg, P. H., Nature, 235, 383 (1972).
Ehrenfeld, E., and Summers, D. F., J. Virol, 10, 683 (1972).
Bachenheimer, S. L., and Roizman, B., J. Virol, 10, 875 (1972).
Burr, H., and Lingrel, J. B., Nature new Biol., 233, 41 (1971).
Mendecki, J., Lee, S. Y., and Brawerman, G., Biochemistry, N. Y., 11, 792 (1972).
Molloy, G. R., Sporn, M. B., Kelley, D. E., and Perry, R. P., Biochemistry, N. Y., 11, 3256 (1972).
Nakazoto, H., Kopp, D. W., and Edmonds, M., J. biol. Chem., 248, 1472 (1973).
Sheldon, R., Kates, J., Kelley, D. E., and Perry, R. P., Biochemistry, N. Y., 11, 3829 (1972).
Darnell, J. E., Philipson, L., Wall, R., and Adesnick, M., Science, 174, 507 (1971).
Edmonds, M., and Abrams, R., J. biol Chem., 235, 1142 (1960).
Klemperer, H. G., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 72, 416 (1963).
Giron, M. L., and Huppert, J., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 287, 438 (1972).
Giron, M. L. and Huppert, J., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 287, 448 (1972).
Burdon, R. H., Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun., 11, 472 (1963).
Venkataraman, P. R., and Mahler, H. R., J. biol. Chem., 238, 1058 (1963).
Tsiapalis, C. M., Dorson, J. W., de Sante, D. M., and Bollum, F. J., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 50, 737 (1973).
Kates, J. R., and McAuslan, B. R., Proc. nam. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 58, 134 (1967).
Munyon, W., Paoletti, E., and Grace, J. T., jun., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 58, 2280 (1967).
Munyon, W., Paoletti, E., Ospina, J., and Grace, J. T., jun., J. Virol, 2, 167 (1968).
Gold, P., and Dales, S., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 60, 845 (1968).
Pogo, B. G. T., and Dales, S., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 63, 820 (1969).
Paoletti, E., and Moss, B., J. Virol., 10, 417 (1972).
Paoletti, E., and Moss, B., J. Virol., 10, 866 (1972).
Beers, R. F., jun., J. biol. Chem. 235, 2393 (1960).
Randerath, K., Experientia, 27, 406 (1964).
Randerath, K., and Randerath, E., Meth. Enzym., 12, 323 (1967).
Smith, H. O., and Friedman, E. A., J. biol. Chem., 247, 2854 (1972).
Pitkanen, A., McAuslan, B., Hedgpeth, J., and Woodson, B., J. Virol., 2, 1363 (1968).
Lerman, L. S., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 49, 94 (1963).
Le Pecq, J. B., and Paoletti, C., CR Acad. Sci. (Paris), 260, 7033 (1965).
Le Pecq, J. B., and Paoletti, C., J. molec. Biol., 27, 87 (1967).
Peacocke, A. R., and Skerrett, J. N. H., Trans. Faraday Soc., 52, 261 (1956).
Ohasa, S., and Tsugita, A., Nature new Biol., 240, 35 (1972).
Joklik, W. K., Biochim. biophys. Acta, 61, 290 (1962).
Katz, E., and Moss, B., J. Virol., 6, 717 (1970).
Alberts, B., and Herrick, G., Meth. Enzym., 21, 198 (1971).
Blatti, S. P., Ingles, C. J., Lindell, T. J., Morris, P. W., Weaver, R. F., Weinberg, F., and Rutter, W. J., Cold Spring Harbor Symp, quant. Biol., 35, 649 (1970).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MOSS, B., ROSENBLUM, E. & PAOLETTI, E. Polyadenylate Polymerase from Vaccinia Virions. Nature New Biology 245, 59–63 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio245059a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio245059a0