title: The effect of spermine on transcription of mammalian chromatin by mammalian deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerase.
abstract: Isolated rat liver nuclei demonstrate an increased ability to synthesize RNA in the presence of either spermine or spermidine. Spermidine has more effect on the low-salt alpha-amanitin-insensitive reaction, and spermine has more effect on the high-salt alpha-amanitin-sensitive reaction. Spermine is effective at concentrations of 0.1 mM and 1 muM, showing a biphasic effect. The RNA polymerase activity associated with nuclear chromatin is increased in the presence of spermine only at a concentration of 0.1 mM. Aso the transcription of deproteinized liver DNA by liver form-B polymerase or Escherichia coli enzyme is more efficient in the presence of 0.1 mM-spermine. Only when liver chromatin is transcribed by its homologous enzyme (and not by E. coli enzyme) is spermine active at both 0.1mM and 1 muM as in purified nuclei. The lower concentration of spermine (1 muM) is able to affect chromatin transcription by increasing the affinity of chromatin for the enzyme. Our findings suggest a regulatory role of spermine at the level of genome transcription.
mesh_terms: D000546:Amanitins; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D013095:Spermidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013096:Spermine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000546:Amanitins; D002843:Chromatin; D013096:Spermine; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D013095:Spermidine