Minichromosome from BK virus as a template for transcription in vitro.

Abstract
BK virus DNA can be extracted from virions as a nucleoprotein complex containing about 20 nucleosomes. Transcription of this minichromosome with Escherichia coli RNA polymerase indicates that both initiation and elongation of RNA chains are reduced by the presence of nucleosomes. Hybridization analysis of RNA made on the complex shows preferential transcription of 1 region of BK virus genome. No increase in strand selection is observed with respect to transcription of purified BK virus DNA.