RIBONUCLEIC ACID POLYMERASE OF AZOTOBACTER VINELANDII, I. PRIMING BY POLYRIBONUCLEOTIDES

Abstract
The RNA polymerase, from extracts of A. vinelandii, used polyribonucleotides (poly-A, poly-U, poly-C) in addition to DNA as primers. Priming by homopolynucleo-tides directed the incorporation of the complementary nucleotides. The competition between the various primers suggested that a single enzyme is involved. Polyfluorouridylate was an effective inhibitor of both the DNA- and polyribonucleotide-primed reactions Actinomycin-D which inhibits the reaction primed by DNA had no appreciable effect on the polyribonucleotide-primed reaction.