Reticulocyte RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

A cytoplasmic, microsomal bound RNA-dependent RNA polymerase has been purified 2500-fold from rabbit reticulocyte lysates. The synthesis of RNA with the purified enzyme is absolutely dependent on the addition of an RNA template. The best template is hemoglobin messenger RNA, while bacteriophage RNA and poly(A,G) are less active, and DNA is completely inactive as a template. With poly(A,G) as a template, only UTP and CTP are incorporated into polynucleotide chains, indicating that the RNA polymerase is an RNA replicase and not a terminal transferase. With messenger RNA as a template, all four ribonucleoside triphosphates are required for maximal activity. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase reaction is extremely sensitive to low concentrations of heme, rifamycin AF/013, and ribonuclease and resistant to actinomycin D and DNase. The discovery of RNA-directed RNA synthesis in reticulocytes offers an additional site for control of gene expression in mammalian cells and provides a possible mechanism for amplification of the expression of specific genes.     

Sequential stimulation of nuclear RNA polymerase activities in livers from thyroidectomized rats treated with triiodothyronine.

A single ip injection of triiodothyronine (T3; 30 mug/100 g BW) to thyroidectomized rats markedly stimulates RNA synthesis in isolated liver nuclei. The increased level of RNA synthesized in vitro by isolated nuclei does not depend on a reduced degradation of the nascent RNA molecules, since ribonuclease activities are not affected by the administration of T3. In addition, our results have confirmed previous findings of Tata et al. that the increase in nucleolar alpha-amanitin-resistant RNA polymerase I activity at low ionic strength always preceded the rise of the nucleoplasmic alpha-amanitin-sensitive RNA polymerase II activity at high ionic strength. Moreover, it has been found that a significant increase in an alpha-amanitin-resistant activity at high ionic strength occurs as early as 10 h after hormone injection. This enzyme, which forms RNA with a U to G ratio significantly higher than that of RNA synthesized by the nucleolar alpha-amanitin-resistant enzyme, is probably nucleoplasmic RNA polymerase III which is though to synthesize 5S and transfer RNAs. The possible role and the mechanism(s) of the early and concomitant increase in nucleolar and nucleoplasmic alpha-aminitin-resistant activities, and of the subsequent rise of RNA polymerase II activity following T3 administration are discussed.     

Catecholamine induced cardiac hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in adult female Wistar rats by daily subcutaneous injections of isoproterenol (0.3 mg/kg body weight). Heart weight increased 39% after eight days of treatment. Left ventricular pressure development (positive dP/dt) in hearts four days after hypertrophy induction was significantly increased, while negative dP/dt remained unchanged. RNA polymerase activity in isolated myocyte and nonmyocyte nuclei was stimulated 29 and 23%, respectively 24 h after a single isoproterenol injection. In the myocyte fraction, RNA polymerase activation progressively increased up to four days of treatment and then returned to control values after eight days. In the nonmyocyte nuclear subset, RNA polymerase activity showed no further stimulation and gradually returned to control values after eight days of treatment. Chromatin template function was substantially stimulated in the early stage (one to four days) of hypertrophy in both myocyte and nonmyocyte fractions. Titration of chromatin against a fixed amount of RNA polymerase (5 micrograms) in the presence of rifampicin and heparin showed that less chromatin from hypertrophied hearts was required to saturate the enzyme. These results indicate that both myocyte and nonmyocte chromatin from hypertrophied hearts can support greater enzyme binding than normal chromatin. The alkaline sucrose density centrifugation profile of DNA in myocyte and nonmyocyte chromatin from day 4 hypertrophied hearts was less fragmented. These observations suggest that during the early phase of isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy, enhanced RNA polymerase activity and chromatin template function play a coordinated role in RNA synthesis. The increased template activity could be due to alterations in chromatin composition which was indicated by the change in their enzyme binding capacity and DNA fragmentation profile.     

Increased RNA Synthesis in Nuclear Monolayers of WI-38 Cells Stimulated to Proliferate

Nuclear monolayers of WI-38 cells prepared by the method of Tsai and Green were used to determine RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei in situ. In nuclear monolayers, incorporation of [(3)H]UTP into RNA is dependent on the presence of the other three nucleotide triphosphate and is abolished by actinomycin D. The extent of RNA synthesis under these conditions was measured in density-inhibited WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts at various intervals after cell proliferation was stimulated by a change of medium.RNA synthesis increases 15 min after the nutritional change and reaches a peak at 18 hr, which is also the peak of DNA synthesis. Thereafter RNA synthesis declines. Essentially similar results are obtained whether the endogenous RNA polymerase or a bacterial polymerase is used. Replacement of the stimulating medium by conditioned medium stops the increase in RNA synthesis that occurs in cultures subject to continuous stimulation. Finally, RNA synthesis in nuclear monolayers, using the endogenous RNA polymerase, occurs by chain elongation only, while re-initiation occurs with the bacterial RNA polymerase.     

Properties of a cell-free system for synthesis of citrus exocortis viroid

Partially purified nuclei from citrus exocortis viroid (CEV)-infected Gynura aurantiaca are able to synthesize linear and circular viroid molecules. Pretreatment of the nuclei with actinomycin D or deoxyribonuclease did not affect viroid synthesis, whereas the synthesis of other cellular RNAs was severely reduced. These observations support the essential role of CEV complementary RNA sequences in viroid replication. However, when α-amanitin was included in this in vitro synthesis system, CEV replication was markedly reduced by concentrations of 10 nM or greater. Taken together, these data support the proposition that viroid synthesis is catalyzed by a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase acting on a RNA template.     

Endogenous RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase Activity in Uninfected Chicken Embryos

Early chicken embryos that are either positive or negative for group-specific antigens of avian leukosis viruses contained endogenous RNA-directed DNA polymerase activity. This endogenous DNA polymerase activity was not increased after mixture of soluble DNA polymerases isolated from chicken embryos with disrupted chicken embryo cells. The endogenous activity was resistant to treatment with deoxyribonuclease, and the initial rate of DNA synthesis was partially resistant to actinomycin D. In contrast, over 90% of the endogenous polymerase activity was destroyed by ribonuclease in medium with high salt concentration. The DNA product of the endogenous DNA polymerase activity from chicken embryos did not hybridize with RNA of Rous sarcoma virus or reticuloendotheliosis virus, whereas about 40% of this DNA product hybridized with the RNA from the same chicken-cell fraction. Antibody against DNA polymerase of avian myeloblastosis virus did not neutralize the chicken endogenous DNA polymerase activity. These results demonstrate that uninfected chicken embryo cells contain endogenous RNA-directed DNA polymerase activity that is not derived from avian leukosis or reticuloendotheliosis viruses.     

Age-dependent alterations of the rate of RNA synthesis in rat brain cell nuclei.

Endogenous Mn2+ and Mg2+ activated RNA polymerase activity was measured in isolated cell nuclei of brain from rats of different age-groups. It was established that the activity of the nucleoplasmic RNA polymerase is maintained at the level of young animals up to an age of 16 months but is decreased after 24 months. The nucleolar RNA polymerase activity decreases already at 16 months and a higher ratio of the Mn2+:Mg2+ activated RNA polymerase activities has been found to be characteristic for the older animals. By means of stepwise sucrose density gradient centrifugation fractions were obtained from the nuclear preparations highly enriched in cell nuclei of neuronal and glial origin respectively. By measuring the activity of the nucleoplasmic and nucleolar RNA polymerases in these fractions it was found that the elevated ratio of the nucleoplasmic to nucleolar RNA polymerase activity at 16 months of age is a characteristic of the neuronal nuclei while the glial nuclei behave by the opposite manner. A parallelism existing between the age-dependent change of the endogenous RNA polymerase activity and that of perichromatic granules of rat brain cortical cells is discussed.     

Studies on the RNA synthesized in the ovary of immature rats after HCG administration (author's transl)]

Although many researchers have reported that RNA synthesis in the ovary is enhanced by gonadotropin treatment, there are only a few papers concerning the character of newly synthesized RNA after gonadotropin treatment. In this paper, the RNA synthesized in the ovary of immature rats after HCG treatment was qualitatively studied. Immature female Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with 0.3 mc per rat of 3H-uridine at a certain time interval after injection of HCG (10 iu/rat) and the ovaries were subsequently isolated after 15, 30 or 60 minutes. RNA was extracted from the homogenate of the ovaries according to the hot phenol method after Scherrer and Darnell. The 3H-RNA thus extracted was treated with electrophoretically purified DNase to break down and remove DNA that mingled with it. The RNA solution ultimately obtained was analysed on a 3-20% sucrose gradient. The different fractions thus separated were then subjected to measurement of radioactivity and optical density at 260 mmug. The RNA extracted from the ovary of immature untreated rat labeled with 3H-uridine for 15 minutes showed a flat pattern of radioactivity from the top to the bottom fractions with low radioactivity. Otherwise, when labeled for one hour, the RNA showed a pattern of radioactivity like those of optical density at 260 mumu with peaks of r-RNAs and t-RNA. When the ovary was pulse-labeled with 3H-uridine for 15 minutes starting 2 hours after injection of HCG, the RNA with a large S value was synthesized and the pattern of variation in radioactivity was that of rising near the bottom fraction and declining with access to the top fraction. The results obtained by labeling for 15 minutes starting 40 hours after PMS administration were similar to those obtained in immature untreated rats. The patterns of radioactivity in RNA obtained by the labeling for 15 minutes starting 2 hours after HCG and 42 hours after PMS were similar to those starting 2 hours after only HCG injection. The patterns of radioactivity became similar to those of optical density at 260 mmu, when the ovaries were labeled for 30 or 60 minutes. From these results, it was suggested that the newly synthesized RNA 2 hours after HCG was constructed from m-RMA with rapid turn over and precursors of r-RNAs and t-RNA. This RNA synthesis was blocked by pretreatment with actinomycin but not by cycloheximide. From these results, it was suggested that enhancement in RNA polymerase activity or change in template capacity of DNA which would have an effect on RNA synthesis was not based on newly synthesized protein.     

Gene Activation in WI-38 Fibroblasts Stimulated to Proliferate: Requirement for Protein Synthesis

Confluent monolayers of WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts can be stimulated to divide by fresh medium containing 30% fetal-calf serum. Up to 80% of the cells are stimulated to divide, with a peak of DNA synthesis between 15 and 21 hr. 1 hr after the change of medium there is a 70% rise in chromatin template activity. Cycloheximide inhibited the increase in chromatin template activity. A requirement for RNA synthesis was investigated by incubating stimulated and unstimulated cells with 10 μg/ml of actinomycin D. In spite of a 95% inhibition of RNA synthesis in whole cells, purified chromatin from stimulated cells showed the usual increase in template activity. These experiments implicate a requirement for protein synthesis in template activation, and imply that the synthesis of this (or these) protein(s) is independent of RNA synthesis and regulated by a purely translational mechanism.     

Increased frequency of initiation of RNA synthesis due to a protein factor from chicken myeloblastosis nuclei.

The mechanism of the effect of an RNA polymerase II (RNA nucleotidyltransferase II) stimulation factor isolated from the nuclei of chicken myeloblastosis cells was studied. The stimulation requires the presence of all four nucleoside triphosphates and depends upon an exogenous DNA template. In the absence of the factor, RNA synthesis ceases after 20-30 min, but in the presence of the factor, synthesis continues up to 60-80 min. Addition of the factor at 35 min after incubation causes resumption of RNA synthesis. The factor greatly stimulates the activity of RNA polymerase II at low enzyme concentrations. The RNA polymerase activity is more sensitive to alpha-amanitin inhibition when the factor is present. Experiments of [gamma-32P]ATP incorporation reveal that the factor provides for an increased frequency of initiation of RNA chains, both of the primary initiation events and re-initiation after previous ones were completed. A slightly higher rate of RNA chain growth was also observed with this factor but the ultimate size of RNA synthesized was not affected, as determined by formaldehyde/sucrose gradient centrifugation. These data suggest that the factor functions at the initiation stages of the RNA polymerase reaction.     

In Vitro Synthesis of Rous Sarcoma Virus-Specific RNA is Catalyzed by a DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

Synthesis of Rous sarcoma virus RNA was examined in vitro with a new assay for radioactive virus-specific RNA. Nuclei from infected and uninfected cells were incubated with ribonucleoside [α-³²P]triphosphates, Mn⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺ and (NH₄)₂SO₄. Incorporation into total and viral RNA proceeded with similar kinetics for up to 25 min at 37°. About 0.5% of the RNA synthesized by the infected system was scored as virus-specific, compared to 0.03% of the RNA from the uninfected system and 0.005% of the RNA synthesized by monkey kidney cell nuclei. Preincubation with DNase or actinomycin D completely suppressed total and virus-specific RNA synthesis. α-Amanitin, a specific inhibitor of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II, completely inhibited virus-specific RNA synthesis, while reducing total RNA synthesis by only 50%. We conclude that tumor virus-specific RNA is synthesized on a DNA template, most probably by the host's RNA polymerase II.     

Regulation of the Nucleolar DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase by Amino Acids in Ehrlich Ascites Tumor Cells

Experiments were performed to ascertain the degree to which the amount of amino acids might be one of the regulatory factors that control the activity of the nucleolar RNA polymerase. Assays of the enzymatic activity were done with isolated nuclei from cells incubated with low and high concentrations of amino acids. Soon after the cells were exposed to a medium enriched in amino acids, a rapid increase of nucleolar RNA polymerase activity occurred. A similar result was obtained in cells incubated with lower concentrations of amino acids. However, the rate of ribosomal RNA synthesized was regularly much higher in cells incubated in a medium enriched with amino acids than in a medium low in amino acids. Apparently, the amino acids only controlled ribosomal RNA synthesis. Thus, neither maturation, processing, and transport of nuclear precursors into cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA, nor the synthesis of rapidly labeled RNA was affected.     

Synthesis of DNA in Human Lymphocytes: Possible Control Mechanism

Partially purified, isolated nuclei from lymphocytes either stimulated or not stimulated by phytohemagglutinin can equally well synthesize DNA when [(3)H]dTTP is used as precursor. Studies of DNA polymerase activity in nuclei and cytoplasm from these cells showed that the enzyme can be detected in either stimulated or nonstimulated lymphocytes. In nonstimulated lymphocytes the uptake of thymidine is very low. The use of inhibitors such as cycloheximide, arbinosylcytosine, and actinomycin D showed that a parallel existed between thymidine uptake and DNA synthesis. All the conditions in which DNA synthesis was inhibited resulted also in an inhibition of thymidine uptake.     

Inhibitory effects of gold sodium thiomalate on DNA polymerase alpha

The usefulness of gold compounds in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis is well established, however, the pharmacological mechanisms of the compounds are still unclear. In this report, effects of gold compounds on DNA synthesis were examined. Gold sodium thiomalate inhibited DNA synthesis in the HeLa "nuclei system" as well as in the enzyme reaction using DNA polymerase alpha. More precisely, gold sodium thiomalate inhibited the activity of DNA polymerase alpha using activated DNA, poly[d(A-T)] or poly[d(G-C)] for the template, but did not inhibit the activity of DNA polymerase I with each template. The compound had also no inhibitory effect on DNA polymerase beta or gamma. On the other hand, auranofin inhibited the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into HeLa DNA but did not inhibit DNA synthesis in the HeLa "nuclei system". The inhibition of DNA polymerase alpha activity by gold sodium thiomalate was competitive with poly(dA).oligo(dT) for template but noncompetitive with dTTP. Thus, gold sodium thiomalate is a potent and specific inhibitor of DNA polymerase alpha and this inhibitory effect could play an important role in the therapeutic and pharmacological effects of gold sodium thiomalate.     

DNA-DEPENDENT SYNTHESIS OF RNA BY Escherichia coli RNA POLYMERASE: RELEASE AND REINITIATION OF RNA CHAINS FROM DNA TEMPLATES

RNA synthesis in an in vitro RNA polymerase system at low ionic strength soon ceases, due to inhibition by accumulated RNA. Measurement of RNA chain initiation by the incorporation of gamma-(32)P-ATP and GTP with native T2 or T4 DNA as template shows that only one RNA chain is formed per molecule of enzyme added. In contrast, when the polymerase reaction is carried out in 10 mM Mg(++) and 0.2 M KCl, RNA synthesis proceeds nearly linearly for hours, resulting in a marked increase in accumulated RNA. Incorporation of gamma-(32)P-ATP also proceeds throughout the course of the reaction and the number of chains initiated per molecule of enzyme is increased severalfold. Most RNA chains formed are released from the DNA template as free RNA. Polymerase is released also in this process and acting catalytically reinitiates new chains. Rifampicin inhibits initiation of RNA synthesis and also blocks reinitiation of RNA chains without affecting growth of RNA chains already initiated.