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Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Dependent Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase Activity in Purified Trachoma Elementary Bodies: Effect of Sodium Chloride on Ribonucleic Acid Transcription

Department of Virology, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

ABSTRACT

Highly purified trachoma elementary bodies (T'ang strain), incubated in the presence of the four nucleoside triphosphates [Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, 2-mercaptoethanol, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer (pH 7.5)] were found to incorporate ³H-uridine triphosphate (UTP) into ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules. Eighty-seven per cent of the labeled molecules were sensitive to ribonuclease treatment. In vitro RNA synthesis was almost completely inhibited by actinomycin D. Rifampin was also inhibitory, but allowed some initial RNA synthesis before complete inhibition occurred. When the reaction mixture lacked Mn²⁺, trachoma elementary bodies synthesized, for a limited period, high-molecular-weight RNA species (23 to 24S, 16 to 17S, and 10 to 11S). Addition of 0.2 M NaCl to the same reaction mixture stimulated and prolonged ³H-UTP incorporation into the same radioactive RNA species. Addition of 0.001 M Mn²⁺ instead of NaCl also stimulated ³H-UTP incorporation but prevented the synthesis of the high-molecular-weight RNA species.