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. 1998 Aug 1;26(15):3550–3554. doi: 10.1093/nar/26.15.3550

Transcription of RNA templates by T7 RNA polymerase.

N Arnaud-Barbe 1, V Cheynet-Sauvion 1, G Oriol 1, B Mandrand 1, F Mallet 1
PMCID: PMC147742  PMID: 9671817

Abstract

Although highly specialized, T7 RNA polymerase seems to possess a large range of DNA- and RNA-dependent properties. To study such flexibility, we determined the ability of T7 RNA polymerase to transcribe chimeric DNA-RNA and RNA templates following initiation at a double stranded DNA promoter. We have found that T7 RNA polymerase is able to initiate on RNA templates, was processive, and was able to use templates containing RNA-RNA duplexes under standard transcription conditions. Implications of remnants of such RNA-dependent activities for T7 DNA-dependent polymerase are discussed.

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Selected References

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