Transcription of RNA templates by T7 RNA polymerase.
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.
Arnaud-Barbe
N
N
Unité Mixte 103 CNRS-bioMérieux, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon, Cédex 07, France.
Cheynet-Sauvion
V
V
Oriol
G
G
Mandrand
B
B
Mallet
F
F
D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins
D014764:Viral Proteins; D012313:RNA; C062210:bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases