Nuclear Fraction of Bacillus subtilis as a Template for Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis

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Abstract
A "nuclear fraction" from B. subtilis was a more efficient template than purified DNA for the synthesis of RNA by exogenously added RNA polymerase from B subtilis. The initial rate of synthesis with the nuclear fraction was higher and synthesis continued for several hr., yielding an amount of RNA greater than the amount of DNA used as the template. The product was heterogenous in size with a large portion exceeding 23S. When purified DNA was the template, a more limited synthesis was observed with a predominantly 7S product. The RNA produced in vitro from these templates were very similar to each other and to in vivo synthesized RNA as determined by the competition of RNA from whole cells in the annealing of in vitro synthesize RNA to DNA. Treatment of the nuclear fraction with heat (60 C for 15 min.) or trypsin reduced the capacity of the nuclear fraction to synthesize RNA to the level observed with purified DNA,.