Abstract
The DNA-dependent RNA polymerases of Schneider 2-L cells of Drosophila melanogaster are described. These cells contain five readily detectable forms of this enzyme, polymerases Ia, Ib, IIIa, II, and IIIb, which elute from DEAE-Sephadex at 0.08, 0.12, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.22 m ammonium sulfate, respectively. RNA polymerases IIIa and IIIb, which each constitute about 5–10% of the total RNA polymerase activity in Drosophila embryos, are found to constitute 30 and 10%, respectively, of the total polymerase activity in cultured cells. The two form III polymerases are further characterized by in vitro response to divalent cations and ionic strength, template utilization, and sensitivity to α-amanitin. Verification of the class III designation of these two polymerases is provided by their sensitivity to only very high levels of α-amanitin (50% inhibition at approximately 800 µg/ml), their 10-fold greater activity on poly[d(A–T)], and their elution from DEAE-cellulose at lower ionic strengths than from DEAE-Sephadex.
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This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
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Phillips, J.P., Somers, D.G. & Feng, C. DNA-dependent RNA polymerases from Schneider 2-L cells of Drosophila. I. Preliminary characterization. Biochem Genet 20, 659–673 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00483963
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00483963