Purification and Characterization of Adenosine Triphosphate: Ribonucleic Acid Adenyltransferase from Escherichia coli

Abstract

A primer‐dependent poly (A)‐polymerizing activity using ATP as substrate (ATP: RNA adenyltransferase) was isolated in high yield from Escherichia coli and purified to apparent homogeneity. For this purpose an assay system had to be used which restricted a variety of infering enzyme activities. Since the enzyme aggregates to macromolecular cell components or precipitates when kept in low salt conditions (<0.4 M NaCl), it was necessary to perform the entire purification procedure in high salt conditions. This was accomplished by using a high salt ribosomal supernatant, a polyethylenglycol‐dextran‐NaCl phase partition step and a very efficient final high salt phosphocellulose chromatography. At 0.5 M NaCl the enzyme has a molecular weight of approximately 58000. Dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis shows a single polypeptide chain of molecular weight × 50000. The enzyme has a high preference for ATP as substrate. Manganese ions show higher activity as cofactors than magnesium ions. All classes of natural RNAs are used as primers. The free 3′terminal hydroxyl group of the RNA is required. The enzyme is unable to catalyze a pyrophosphorolysis or a phosphorolysis reaction. It is shown that ATP: RNA adenyl‐transferase preferentially synthesizes rather long chains of poly(A) attached to the RNA primers. No relation between the enzyme protein and subunits of the DNA‐dependent RNA polymerase could be detected. Copyright © 1973, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved