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Initiation of Bacillus subtilis Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase on Deoxyribonucleic Acid from Bacteriophages 2C, 29, T4, and Lambda

Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80302

ABSTRACT

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis primed by bacteriophage T4 or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase is severely inhibited by high ionic strength. In contrast, RNA synthesis on B. subtilis bacteriophage 2C, SPO1, or 29 DNA is only moderately affected under similar conditions. The basis of this inhibition lies in the inability of the enzyme to initiate RNA chains with adenosine triphosphate or guanosine triphosphate (ATP, GTP). Binding to templates and the rate of catalysis in high salt after initiation do not seem to be affected. Incorporation of -³²P-ATP and GTP under a variety of conditions suggests that the specificity of B. subtilis RNA polymerase is different from that of the Escherichia coli enzyme and that it recognizes few promoters on T4 and DNA. Although B. subtilis RNA polymerase initiates RNA chains primarily with ATP or GTP, initiations with pyrimidines can occur on DNA molecules in which hydroxymethyluracil replaces thymine. RNA synthesis on denatured DNA does not seem to be inhibited by high ionic strength, and on native T4 or DNA the inhibition of initiation at constant ionic strength is inversely but not linearly proportional to the ionic radii of cations used to stabilize bihelical DNA to denaturation.