Skip to main content
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1973 Mar;70(3):934–938. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.3.934

An RNA that Multiplies Indefinitely with DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase: Selection from a Random Copolymer

Christof K Biebricher 1,*, Leslie E Orgel 1
PMCID: PMC433391  PMID: 4577140

Abstract

We have selected from a mixture of random polynucleotides an RNA that is able to replicate in the presence of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli, provided the medium contains Mn2+ and ITP, in addition to ATP, CTP, and UTP. The RNA consists of a chain of about 125 (±25) nucleotides and appears to have a defined, nonrepetitive sequence.

Keywords: E. coli polymerase, Mn++, 125-nucleotide RNA, virus evolution, self-replication

Full text

PDF
934

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Babinet C. A new method for the purification of RNA-polymerase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1967 Mar 21;26(6):639–644. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(67)80119-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Banerjee A. K., Rensing U., August J. T. Replication of RNA viruses. X. Replication of a natural 6 s RNA by the Q-beta RNA polymerase. J Mol Biol. 1969 Oct 28;45(2):181–193. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(69)90098-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burgess R. R. A new method for the large scale purification of Escherichia coli deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerase. J Biol Chem. 1969 Nov 25;244(22):6160–6167. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CHAMBERLIN M., BERG P. Deoxyribo ucleic acid-directed synthesis of ribonucleic acid by an enzyme from Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1962 Jan 15;48:81–94. doi: 10.1073/pnas.48.1.81. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FOX C. F., ROBINSON W. S., HASELKORN R., WEISS S. B. ENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF RIBONUCLEIC ACID. III. THE RIBONUCLEIC ACID-PRIMED SYNTHESIS OF RIBONUCLEIC ACID WITH MICROCOCCUS LYSODEIKTICUS RIBONUCLEIC ACID POLYMERASE. J Biol Chem. 1964 Jan;239:186–195. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fedoroff N. V., Zinder N. D. Structure of the poly(G) polymerase component of the bacteriophage f2 replicase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1971 Aug;68(8):1838–1843. doi: 10.1073/pnas.68.8.1838. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Franklin R. M. Purification and properties of the replicative intermediate of the RNA bacteriophage R17. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1966 Jun;55(6):1504–1511. doi: 10.1073/pnas.55.6.1504. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. GOMATOS P. J., KRUG R. M., TAMM I. ENZYMIC SYNTHESIS OF RNA WITH REOVIRUS RNA AS TEMPLATE. I. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REACTION CATALYZED BY THE RNA POLYMERASE FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI. J Mol Biol. 1964 Jul;9:193–207. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(64)80100-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. KORNBERG A., BERTSCH L. L., JACKSON J. F., KHORANA H. G. ENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID, XVI. OLIGONUCLEOTIDES AS TEMPLATES AND THE MECHANISM OF THEIR REPLICATION. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Feb;51:315–323. doi: 10.1073/pnas.51.2.315. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KRAKOW J. S., OCHOA S. Ribonucleic acid polymerase of Azotobacter vinelandii. I. Priming by polyribonucleotides. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1963 Jan 15;49:88–94. doi: 10.1073/pnas.49.1.88. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kacian D. L., Mills D. R., Kramer F. R., Spiegelman S. A replicating RNA molecule suitable for a detailed analysis of extracellular evolution and replication. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Oct;69(10):3038–3042. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.10.3038. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kacian D. L., Mills D. R., Spiegelman S. The mechanism of Q replication: sequence at the 5' terminus of a 6-S RNA template. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1971 May 13;238(2):212–223. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kamen R. A new method for the purification of Q RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1972 Feb 23;262(1):88–100. doi: 10.1016/0005-2787(72)90221-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kamen R. Characterization of the subunits of Q-beta replicase. Nature. 1970 Nov 7;228(5271):527–533. doi: 10.1038/228527a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Karstadt M., Krakow J. S. Azotobacter vinelandii ribonucleic acid polymerase. IX. Alternating copolymer of inosinic and cytidylic residues-directed synthesis of alternating copolymer of guanylic and cytidylic residues. J Biol Chem. 1970 Feb 25;245(4):746–751. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Karstadt M., Krakow J. S. Azotobacter vinelandii ribonucleic acid polymerase. X. Some physical properties of the alternating copolymers of inosinic and cytidylic residues and of guanylic and cytidylic acid residues. J Biol Chem. 1970 Feb 25;245(4):752–758. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kondo M., Gallerani R., Weissmann C. Subunit structure of Q-beta replicase. Nature. 1970 Nov 7;228(5271):525–527. doi: 10.1038/228525a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Krakow J. S., Karstadt M. Azotobacter vinelandii ribonucleic acid polymerase. IV. Unprimed synthesis of rIC copolymer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Nov;58(5):2094–2101. doi: 10.1073/pnas.58.5.2094. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Mills D. R., Peterson R. L., Spiegelman S. An extracellular Darwinian experiment with a self-duplicating nucleic acid molecule. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1967 Jul;58(1):217–224. doi: 10.1073/pnas.58.1.217. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. NIYOGI S. K., STEVENS A. STUDIES OF THE RIBONUCLEIC ACID POLYMERASE FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI. 3. STUDIES WITH SYNTHETIC POLYRIBONUCLEOTIDES AS TEMPLATES. J Biol Chem. 1965 Jun;240:2587–2592. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Sanger F., Brownlee G. G., Barrell B. G. A two-dimensional fractionation procedure for radioactive nucleotides. J Mol Biol. 1965 Sep;13(2):373–398. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80104-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Smith D. A., Ratliff R. L., Williams D. L., Martinez A. M. Synthesis of polyadenylate: polyuridylate catalyzed by ribonucleic acid polymerase in the absence of a template. J Biol Chem. 1967 Feb 25;242(4):590–595. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Steck T. L., Caicuts M. J., Wilson R. G. The influence of divalent cations on the activity of the ribonucleic acid polymerase of Micrococcus lysodeikticus. J Biol Chem. 1968 May 25;243(10):2769–2778. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES