The incorporation of cytidine 5′-monophosphate and other ribonucleotides by an enzyme preparation from rat-liver microsomes

1. An enzyme preparation from rat-liver microsomes incorporated all four ribonucleotides from the corresponding triphosphates into ribosomal RNA. The reaction was Mn(2+)-dependent, but UMP incorporation also occurred in the presence of Mg(2+). 2. The incorporation of any one ribonucleotide was inhibited by the presence of the other three ribonucleoside triphosphates and by denatured DNA. 3. The product of the reaction consisted of short chains of homopolymer attached to the primer ribosomal RNA. 4. ;Soluble' RNA, synthetic polyribonucleotides, and oligoribonucleotides were also effective primers for CMP incorporation. 5. When phosphodiesterase-treated ;soluble' RNA was the primer, CMP was incorporated into positions usually occupied by the normal terminal trinucleotide sequence of intact ;soluble' RNA, but the enzyme did not synthesize a specific terminal sequence consisting of a defined number of CMP residues.     

Experimental conditions affecting ribonucleic acid polymerase in isolated rat liver nuclei. Effect of nucleoside triphosphate concentration, temperature, ammonium sulphate and heparin

1. The conditions affecting the activity of RNA polymerase in isolated rat liver nuclei were studied with Mg(2+) or Mn(2+) as activating ions. 2. The enzyme assayed with Mg(2+) and at low ionic strength is saturated by a lower concentration of nucleotide substrates than if assayed with Mn(2+) at low ionic strength or with either ion at high ionic strength. 3. At low and at high ionic strength the incorporation of AMP is affected in a similar way by variations in the temperature of incubation. Preincubation at 37 degrees impairs the AMP incorporation. 4. Heparin stimulates the RNA polymerase activity in the presence of Mn(2+). 5. Both ammonium sulphate and heparin ;restart' the reaction if added after 15min., the effect being more marked with ammonium sulphate than with heparin, and also more marked in the presence of Mn(2+) than of Mg(2+). 6. alpha-Amanitin abolishes the effect of ammonium sulphate and of heparin.     

RNA Polymerase Activity Associated with Bacteriophage φ6

The Pseudomonas phaseolicola bacteriophage phi6 incorporated labeled UTP into an acid-insoluble precipitate. Incorporation was dependent on the presence of manganese acetate, ATP, GTP, CTP, and a short heat treatment of the phage; the reaction was stimulated by NH(4)Cl. The substitution of (14)C-ATP, -CTP or -GTP for UTP, together with the appropriate unlabeled ribonucleoside triphosphates, disclosed that CMP was incorporated to the greatest extent followed by GMP, UMP, and AMP. Radioactive RNAs formed by the reaction were resistant to RNases A and T(1) in high salt but susceptible to these nucleases in low salt. The labeled RNA co-sedimented and co-electrophoresed with phi6 double-stranded (ds) RNA. However, the distribution of the radioactivity into the three ds-RNA components varied depending on the (14)C-ribonucleoside triphosphate used in the reaction. The incorporation of UMP was primarily into the two smaller ds-RNA segments, GMP primarily into the large ds-RNA segment, and CMP and AMP were about equally distributed into all three ds-RNA segments.     

Effect of nucleotides on the incorporation of myo-inositol into phosphatidylinositol in rat liver microsomes

In rat liver microsomes the incorporation of inositol in the presence of Mn2+ was stimulated by cytidine nucleotides, whereas it was inhibited by other nucleotides. At low concentrations of CMP, AMP and other nucleotides stimulated inositol incorporation. No such effect was observed when the concentration of CMP was 2 mM or higher. It was found that an appreciable hydrolysis of CMP to cytidine and inorganic phosphate occurred during incubation with microsomes in the presence of Mg2+ or Mn2+. AMP was hydrolysed at a comparable rate. The activatory effect of AMP and other nucleotides on the CMP-dependent incorporation of inositol could be ascribed to protecting CMP against hydrolysis.     

Base composition of duck 10S RNA and its poly(A) segment

The base composition of the poly(A) segment of duck 10S RNA was determined to be 92% AMP and 8% GMP. The GMP was probably the result of contamination of poly(A) with other segments of the RNA. A comparison of the theoretical and determined base compositions of the whole 10S RNA molecule suggested that it contains, besides a coding sequence, two noncoding sequences only one of which is poly(A).Abbreviations AMP adenylic acid - GMP guanylic acid - CMP cytidylic acid - UMP uridylic acid - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - EDTA ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid - TCA trichloroacetic acid     

The interaction of aflatoxin B1 with polynucleotides and its effect on ribonucleic acid polymerase

1. The interaction of aflatoxin B(1) with different polynucleotides was studied spectrophotometrically. Equations were derived that enable the degree of binding to be determined without first determining the extinction coefficient of the bound form. 2. The interaction with calf thymus DNA obeys first-order relationships with an association constant of 0.40mm(-1), but there is some evidence for a secondary binding process from results obtained at 390nm. 3. The spectral shifts decreased in the order polyadenylic acid+polyuridylic acid>DNA>polyadenylic acid>polyadenylic acid+polyinosinic acid. Polycytidylic acid, polyuridylic acid, polyinosinic acid (both single- and triple-stranded), AMP, CMP, GMP and UMP did not interact with aflatoxin. It was concluded that there is a requirement for the amino group of adenine (or possibly guanine) for binding of aflatoxin to polynucleotides to occur. 4. Binding is reversed by increasing ionic strength, and by Mn(2+) and Mg(2+) in the concentration range studied (0-5mm). The effect of the Mn(2+) or Mg(2+) was far greater than would be expected on the basis of their ionic strength. With both the bivalent cations and sodium chloride the reversal is greatest with double-stranded polynucleotides. 5. Inhibition in vitro of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli by aflatoxin B(1) was detected only in the absence of Mg(2+) and at concentrations of Mn(2+) below the optimum for RNA synthesis in vitro. 6. The degree of inhibition (maximally 30%) was dependent on the concentration of Mn(2+) and decreased during incubation.     

Study of the Escherichia coli tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. Specificity of the enzyme for nucleoside triphosphates

Besides the main reactions leading to the repair of tRNA molecules deprived of part or all of their 3′ terminal -pCpCpA sequence, purified E. coli tRNA nucleotidyltransferase catalyzes in vitro, under certain conditions the synthesis of sequences not found in natural tRNAs. In the absence of CTP, AMP is incorporated directly into tRNA-pX or tRNA-pXpC leading to tRNA-pXpA or tRNA-pXpCpA respectively. In the absence of ATP one extra CMP is added to tRNA-pXpCpC to form tRNA-pXpCpCpC. UMP can be incorporated instead of CMP and the sequence -pXpU and -pXpCpU formed. The incorporation of UMP cannot be followed by the incorporation of either a second UMP or an AMP. In all cases, the rate of misincorporation is lower than the rate of the synthesis of the normal sequence.The apparent K_M of the enzyme for UTP is 3.0 10⁻⁴ M. CTP inhibits competitively the incorporation of UMP into tRNA-pX with a K_i value (1.6 10⁻⁵ M) close to its apparent K_M.     

Poliovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (3D(pol)). Divalent cation modulation of primer, template, and nucleotide selection

We have analyzed the divalent cation specificity of poliovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, 3D(pol). The following preference was observed: Mn(2+) > Co(2+) > Ni(2+) > Fe(2+) > Mg(2+) > Ca(2+) > Cu(2+), and Zn(2+) was incapable of supporting 3D(pol)-catalyzed nucleotide incorporation. In the presence of Mn(2+), 3D(pol) activity was increased by greater than 10-fold relative to that in the presence of Mg(2+). Steady-state kinetic analysis revealed that the increased activity observed in the presence of Mn(2+) was due, primarily, to a reduction in the K(M) value for 3D(pol) binding to primer/template, without any significant effect on the K(M) value for nucleotide. The ability of 3D(pol) to catalyze RNA synthesis de novo was also stimulated approximately 10-fold by using Mn(2+), and the enzyme was now capable of also utilizing a DNA template for primer-independent RNA synthesis. Interestingly, the use of Mn(2+) as divalent cation permitted 3D(pol) activity to be monitored by following extension of 5'-(32)P-end-labeled, heteropolymeric RNA primer/templates. The kinetics of primer extension were biphasic because of the enzyme binding to primer/template in both possible orientations. When bound in the incorrect orientation, 3D(pol) was capable of efficient addition of nucleotides to the blunt-ended duplex; this activity was also apparent in the presence of Mg(2+). In the presence of Mn(2+), 3D(pol) efficiently utilized dNTPs, ddNTPs, and incorrect NTPs. On average, three incorrect nucleotides could be incorporated by 3D(pol). The ability of 3D(pol) to incorporate the correct dNTP, but not the correct ddNTP, was also observed in the presence of Mg(2+). Taken together, these results provide the first glimpse into the nucleotide specificity and fidelity of the poliovirus polymerase and suggest novel alternatives for the design of primer/templates to study the mechanism of 3D(pol)-catalyzed nucleotide incorporation.     

Incorporation of glucose carbon into ribonucleotides of axenic Entamoeba histolytica

Axenic Entamoeba histolytica grown with (UL-14C)glucose in TP-S-1 medium were capable of biosynthesizing ribose from labeled glucose. RNA isolated by phenol extraction was hydrolyzed to the ribonucleotide level by alkaline hydrolysis. The hydrolysate, chromatographed on ion exchange resins, yielded AMP, GMP, and UMP, but not CMP containing labeled glucose carbon. The present nucleotide composition of the isolated amebal RNA was, respectively, as follows, CMP, 0.20; GMP, 0.22; AMP, 0.30; UMP, 0.29. The location of all the radiolabel in each ribonucleotide was the ribose moiety. The relative specific incorporation of glucose carbon into AMP, GMP, and UMP was 0.47, 0.05, and 0.10, respectively. These results suggest that the bulk of amebal nucleic acid precursors are obtained as preformed nucleosides and/or nucleotides from TP-S-1 medium. The mean RNA content per milliliter packed cells of amebae was 4.2 +/- 0.2 mg.     

Characterization of the ribonucleic acid synthesized by isolated rat-liver nuclei

1. Isolated rat-liver nuclei incorporated [¹⁴C]UMP into RNA when incubated in the presence of Mg²⁺ and all four ribonucleoside triphosphates. The addition of bentonite to the system diminished the breakdown of the newly synthesized RNA. 2. AMP and CMP were incorporated in the absence of the other added triphosphates, and in the presence of deoxyribonuclease. 3. RNA synthesized in the presence of Mg²⁺ contained a high proportion of CMP and GMP, and sedimented in the regions of ribosomal RNA and of heavier molecules. About 1% of this RNA hybridized with homologous DNA, and hybrid formation was more effectively inhibited by nuclear RNA than by ribosomal RNA. 4. RNA synthesized in the presence of Mn²⁺ plus ammonium sulphate had a composition intermediate between that of ribosomal RNA and of DNA, and about 4% of this RNA formed hybrids with DNA. 5. Less than 2% of the newly synthesized RNA was capable of forming ribonuclease- and deoxyribonuclease-resistant complexes. 6. It was concluded that the newly synthesized RNA arose as a result of an asymmetric process and included both ribosomal and DNA-like species.     

Decreased ribonucleic acid synthesis in isolated rat liver nuclei during starvation

1. Isolated nuclei from starved rats showed a lowered incorporation of [(14)C]UMP into RNA. 2. The Mg(2+)-dependent incorporation was decreased by 30% after 1 day of starvation, but incorporation in the presence of Mn(2+) and ammonium sulphate decreased only after longer periods of starvation. 3. RNA synthesis by nuclei in the presence of excess of added RNA polymerase was unchanged after 1 day of starvation and was inhibited by 20% after 4 days. 4. The capacity of nuclei to bind actinomycin D was unchanged after 1 day and was decreased by 20% after 4 days of starvation.     

Free pyrimidine nucleotide pool of Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells. Compartmentation with respect to the synthesis of heterogeneous nuclear RNA and precursors to ribosomal RNA.

The incorporation of [14C]orotate and [14C]uridine into UMP residues of hnRNA (heterogeneous nuclear RNA) and pre-rRNA (precursors to rRNA) of Eharlich ascites-tumour cells was compared: orotate was incorporated at a markedly higher rate into hnRNA. On the other hand, the rate of incorporation of uridine into pre-rRTNA was even somewhat higher than into hnRNA. The ratio of specific radioactivities of CMP to UMP residues in pre-rRNA and hnRNA was studied. At all times of labelling this ratio was similar for both RNA species independently of the precursor used. On addition of excess unlabelled uridine, the CMP/UMP labelling ratio in both pre-rRNA and hnRNA rose. However, this increase was much more pronounced with hnRNA. It is concluded that nuclear pyrimidine nucleotide pool for RNA synthesis is compartmentalized. The synthesis of hnRNa is supplied preferentially by the large and the small compartment, respectively. A detailed model for the cellular compartmentation of uridine nucleotide precursors to RNA is proposed.U     

Inhibition by soluble ribonucleic acid of stimulatory effect of liver template ribonucleic acid

1. Liver soluble RNA (s-RNA) and, to a smaller extent, Escherichia coli s-RNA inhibited the stimulation of [(14)C]leucine incorporation into protein in an E. coli S-30 system brought about by liver microsomal RNA or polyuridylic acid as template. 2. The inhibitory activity was associated with the fraction of the s-RNA possessing transfer-RNA activity. 3. The inhibition was exercised at a stage after charging of the s-RNA with amino acid. 4. Neither the method of preparation of the s-RNA nor its state of amino acid acylation affected its inhibitory action. 5. Stimulation of [(14)C]phenylalanine incorporation by polyuridylic acid or by liver microsomal RNA was not inhibited by addition of s-RNA. 6. It appears that excess of s-RNA inhibits the ambiguous incorporation of leucine with polyuridylic acid and also that something similar occurs with a natural template. 7. Estimation of messenger activity of samples of RNA should be carried out only after removal of s-RNA.     

Characteristics of a pyrimidine-specific 5'-nucleotidase in human erythrocytes.

A 5'-nucleotidase with unique specificity has been identified in the soluble fraction of normal human erythrocytes. It mediates the hydrolytic dephosphorylation of pyrimidine 5'-ribosemonophosphates but is catalytically ineffective with purine nucleotides or with the 2'-, 3'-, or cyclic isomers of pyrimidine nucleotides. Activities at 37 degrees in dialyzed hemolysates of nromal human erythrocytes averaged 7.3 and 6.2 mumol of Pi liberated per hour per g of hemoglobin for the substrates UMP and CMP, respectively. Activity with TMP as substrate was approximately one-half as much as with UMP or CMP. Apparent Michaelis constants were 0.33 mM UMP, 0.15 mM CMP, and 1.0 mM TMP. Magnesium was required for optimal activity, and this cation could not be replaced by Mn2+. Maximum activity was obtained between pH 7.0 and 7.5 with rapid decreases in more alkaline media and moderate decreases with acidification. The enzyme was quite sensitive to heat and was strongly inhibited by AMP, by some purine bases, and by both purine and pyrimidine nucleosides. Divalent cations of heavy metals were also strongly inhibitory, as were agents active against sulfhydryl groups. The presence of substrates and/or 2-mercaptoethanol provided considerable protection against some of these deleterious agents and conditions. Pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase activity in hemolysates was clearly distinguishable from erythrocyte acid phosphatase and from leukocyte and serum alkaline phosphatases and nucleotidases.     

The inhibition of skeletal-muscle fructose 1,6-diphosphatase by adenosine monophosphate

1. The present study extends the finding of Krebs & Woodford (1965) that muscle fructose diphosphatase is more sensitive to AMP inhibition than liver fructose diphosphatase. 2. Hen breast fructose diphosphatase has a K(i) for AMP of 0.1mum; the plot of percentage inhibition is non-sigmoid and the reciprocal plot of activity against AMP concentration is sometimes linear. 3. Percentage inhibition plots for other muscle fructose diphosphatases are sigmoid curves which exhibit different threshold responses to the AMP concentration. 4. The intracellular content of AMP in all muscles tested exceeds the inhibition concentration range of AMP. 5. The sensitivity of muscle fructose diphosphatase to AMP inhibition is decreased by the presence of Mg(2+) or Mn(2+) ions; in the presence of Mn(2+) the inhibition curve for hen breast fructose diphosphatase becomes sigmoid. 6. From the formation constants for the Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) chelates, the effect of these ions in chelation of AMP can be calculated. Although chelation of AMP can explain the Mg(2+) effect, it cannot explain the marked relief of AMP inhibition by Mn(2+). 7. It is suggested that Mn(2+) has a specific effect on this enzyme which reduces the sensitivity to AMP inhibition.     

Isolation and properties of tRNA nucleotidyltransferase from wheat embryos.

From wheat embryos, tRNA nucleotidyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.25) was isolated. By chromatography on Sepharose 6B, DEAE-cellulose and affinity chromatography on tRNA-hydrazyl-Sepharose 4B, 7000-fold purification of the enzyme was achieved. The enzyme required for its activity Mg2+ or Mn2+ ion. ATP inhibited incorporation of CMP from CTP into lupin tRNA, and CTP acted as a competitive inhibitor of AMP incorporation from ATP. The regulatory role of ATP in incorporation of terminal CMP into tRNA is discussed. The incorporation of terminal CMP into tRNA deprived of terminal CCA or CA, was also studied.     

Temperature and the regulation of enzyme activity in poikilotherms. Properties of rainbow-trout fructose diphosphatase

1. The properties of fructose diphosphatase from the liver of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnerii) were examined over the physiological temperature range of the organism. 2. Saturation curves for substrate (fructose 1,6-diphosphate) and a cofactor (Mg(2+)) are sigmoidal, and Hill plots of the results suggest a minimum of two interacting fructose 1,6-diphosphate sites and two interacting Mg(2+) sites per molecule of enzyme. 3. Mn(2+)-saturation curves are hyperbolic, and the K(a) for Mn(2+), which inhibits the enzyme at high concentrations, is 50-100-fold lower than the K(a) for Mg(2+). 4. Fructose diphosphatase is inhibited by low concentrations of AMP; this inhibition appears to be decreased and reversed by increasing the concentrations of Mg(2+) and Mn(2+). Higher concentrations of AMP are required to inhibit the trout fructose diphosphatase in the presence of Mn(2+). 5. The affinities of fructose diphosphatase for fructose diphosphate and Mn(2+) appear to be temperature-independent, whereas the affinities for Mg(2+) and AMP are highly temperature-dependent. 6. The pH optimum of the enzyme depends on the concentrations of Mg(2+) and Mn(2+). In addition, pH determines the K(a) for Mg(2+); at high pH, K(a) for Mg(2+) is lowered. 7. The enzyme is inhibited by Ca(2+) and Zn(2+), and the inhibition is competitive with respect to both cations. 8. The possible roles of these ions and AMP in the modulation of fructose diphosphatase and gluconeogenic activity are discussed in relation to temperature adaptation.