Covalent linkage between ribonucleic Acid primer and deoxyribonucleic Acid product of the avian myeloblastosis virus deoxyribonucleic Acid polymerase

Reverse transcriptase from human immunodeficiency virus: a single template-primer binding site serves two physically separable catalytic functions

The binding of substrates to recombinant reverse transcriptase from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the natural enzyme from avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) has been examined by analyzing both the ribonuclease H and the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities. With 3'-end-labeled globin mRNA hybridized to (dT)15 as the substrate in the ribonuclease H reaction, the enzymes partially deadenylated the mRNA in a distributive manner. Under these conditions, there was a rapid initial burst followed by a prolonged, but much slower, steady-state rate. The biphasic reaction made possible determinations of kinetic constants as follows: values for Km, KD, and kcat were, respectively, 27 nM, 11 nM, and 5 x 10(-3) s-1 for the HIV enzyme and 30 nM, 9 nM, and 5 x 10(-3) s-1, respectively, for the avian enzyme. These constants were used to derive other parameters: The rate of association of the template-primer with reverse transcriptase was approximately 2 x 10(5) M-1 s-1, and the rate of dissociation was approximately 2 x 10(-3) s-1, regardless of the source of the enzyme. The rate of release of the product was essentially equivalent to the value of kcat indicated above for each of the enzymes. The polymerase reaction was evaluated under processive conditions of synthesis; values of Km and kcat of approximately 6 nM and approximately 2.5 s-1, respectively, for the human enzyme, and approximately 10 nM and approximately 2 s-1, respectively, for the avian enzyme were observed. The interaction of substrates with HIV reverse transcriptase was characterized further with the aid of ribonucleoside-vanadyl complexes. These complexes inhibited the polymerase and ribonuclease H activities of the enzyme competitively with respect to globin mRNA.(dT)15. Values of Ki ranging from 1 to 3 mM were obtained. With respect to deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate substrates in the polymerase reaction, mixed inhibition was observed. Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates had no effect on kinetic parameters governing the ribonuclease H activity of the HIV enzyme but apparently facilitated the formation of active enzyme. These data fit a model in which one template-primer binding site serves both the polymerase and the ribonuclease H catalytic sites.

Plus-strand priming by Moloney murine leukemia virus. The sequence features important for cleavage by RNase H

The reverse transcriptase-associated RNase H activity is responsible for producing the plus-strand RNA primer during reverse transcription. The major plus-strand initiation site is located within a highly conserved polypurine tract (PPT), and initiation of DNA replication at this site is necessary for proper formation of the viral long terminal repeats (LTRs). We present here a compilation of PPT sequences from an evolutionarily diverse group of retroviruses and retrotransposons, which reveals that there is a high degree of sequence conservation at this site. Furthermore, we found previously that secondary plus-strand origins, identified in vitro, also show strong similarity to the PPT. Taken together, these data suggest that RNase H recognizes a specific sequence at the PPT as a signal to cleave the RNA at a precise location, producing a primer for the initiation of plus-DNA strands. We have analyzed the RNase H recognition sequence by producing a large number of single and double mutations within the PPT. Our findings suggest that no single residue in the +5 to -6 region (where the cleavage occurs between -1 and +1) is essential; mutations at these positions introduced heterogeneity at the cleavage site, but cleavage is still predominantly at the correct location. Furthermore, base-pairing is not required at the +1 position of the RNase H cleavage site, but a mismatched base-pair at the -1 position causes imprecision in the cleavage reaction. Interestingly, the A residue at position -7 seems to be critical in positioning the RNase H enzyme for correct cleavage. The preference of the enzyme for cleaving between G and A residues may play a minor role in determining the specificity.

Analysis of the primary structure of the long terminal repeat and the gag and pol genes of the human spumaretrovirus

The nucleotide sequence of the human spumaretrovirus (HSRV) genome was determined. The 5' long terminal repeat region was analyzed by strong stop cDNA synthesis and S1 nuclease mapping. The length of the RU5 region was determined and found to be 346 nucleotides long. The 5' long terminal repeat is 1,123 base pairs long and is bound by an 18-base-pair primer-binding site complementary to the 3' end of mammalian lysine-1,2-specific tRNA. Open reading frames for gag and pol genes were identified. Surprisingly, the HSRV gag protein does not contain the cysteine motif of the nucleic acid-binding proteins found in and typical of all other retroviral gag proteins; instead the HSRV gag gene encodes a strongly basic protein reminiscent of those of hepatitis B virus and retrotransposons. The carboxy-terminal part of the HSRV gag gene products encodes a protease domain. The pol gene overlaps the gag gene and is postulated to be synthesized as a gag/pol precursor via translational frameshifting analogous to that of Rous sarcoma virus, with 7 nucleotides immediately upstream of the termination codons of gag conserved between the two viral genomes. The HSRV pol gene is 2,730 nucleotides long, and its deduced protein sequence is readily subdivided into three well-conserved domains, the reverse transcriptase, the RNase H, and the integrase. Although the degree of homology of the HSRV reverse transcriptase domain is highest to that of murine leukemia virus, the HSRV genomic organization is more similar to that of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses. The data justify classifying the spumaretroviruses as a third subfamily of Retroviridae.

The role of Moloney murine leukemia virus RNase H activity in the formation of plus-strand primers

On the basis of earlier studies with both detergent-disrupted virions (the endogenous reaction) and an in vitro reconstructed reaction, the RNase H activity associated with Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase has been implicated in the generation of plus-strand RNA primers during reverse transcription. Here we used an oligonucleotide extension assay to show that the RNA primers remaining bound to the plus DNA strands initiated at the normal origin in the in vitro reaction are heterogeneous in length. This result indicates that, although a precise cleavage generates the 3' end of the priming RNA, RNase H exhibits less specificity at other break sites. During the endogenous reaction, a kinetic analysis of the synthesis of plus strands corresponding to different regions of the genome suggested that additional sites for the initiation of plus-strand DNA existed upstream of the normal origin. Direct analysis of fragments produced in the endogenous reaction, as well as in the in vitro reaction, confirmed the existence of upstream plus-strand initiation sites. Several of these sites were mapped to the nucleotide level by the oligonucleotide extension method. A comparison of the nucleotide sequences surrounding the upstream initiation sites with the sequence at the normal plus-strand origin revealed common features, which suggests a mechanism for plus-strand priming based on sequence recognition by the RNase H/reverse transcriptase protein. Although primer removal by RNase H is highly efficient for DNA fragments initiated at the normal origin, the RNA primers were inefficiently removed from the fragments initiated at the upstream sites. This result suggests that primer removal, like primer generation, involves sequence recognition by the enzyme.

Isolation of a recombinant murine leukemia virus utilizing a new primer tRNA

We have previously described the construction of a mutant of Moloney murine leukemia virus bearing a deletion at the normal site of integration of the viral DNA. We have now recovered a revertant of the virus after abortive infection of mouse cells and have determined the structure of the new virus. The revertant is a recombinant virus containing a 500-base-pair patch of new sequences derived from the mouse genome. The integration site was perfectly restored to the wild-type sequence, although the patch of DNA was overall only 80% homologous to Moloney murine leukemia virus. Surprisingly, the tRNA primer binding site was no longer homologous to the usual proline tRNAs, but was a perfect match for glutamine tRNA. This result suggests that the Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase is not specific to one tRNA, but can utilize different tRNAs to prime the synthesis of viral DNA. Comparisons with published reports allowed the identification of sequences that are 94% homologous to the patch sequence, present in one of the endogenous retroviral sequences of the mouse. No replication-competent members of this family, utilizing the glutamine tRNA primer, have been previously isolated.

The pathophysiology of murine retrovirus-induced leukemias

Murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs) are retroviruses which induce a broad spectrum of hematopoietic malignancies. In contrast to the acutely transforming retroviruses, MuLVs do not contain transduced cellular genes, or oncogenes. Nonetheless, MuLVs can cause leukemias quickly (4 to 6 weeks) and efficiently (up to 100% incidence) in susceptible strains of mice. The molecular basis of MuLV-induced leukemia is not clear. However, the contribution of individual viral genes to leukemogenesis can be assayed by creating novel viruses in vitro using recombinant DNA techniques. These genetically engineered viruses are tested in vivo for their ability to cause leukemia. Leukemogenic MuLVs possess genetic sequences which are not found in nonleukemogenic viruses. These sequences control the histologic type, incidence, and latency of disease induced by individual MuL Vs.

RNA-primed initiation of Moloney murine leukemia virus plus strands by reverse transcriptase in vitro

A 190-base-pair DNA-RNA hybrid containing the Moloney murine leukemia virus origin of plus-strand DNA synthesis was constructed and used as a source of template-primer for the reverse transcriptase in vitro. Synthesis was shown to initiate precisely at the known plus-strand origin. The observation that some of the origin fragments retained ribonucleotide residues on their 5' ends suggests that the primer for chain initiation is an RNA molecule left behind by RNase H during the degradation of the RNA moiety of the DNA-RNA hybrid. If the RNase H is responsible for creating the correct primer terminus, then it must possess a specific endonucleolytic activity capable of recognizing the sequence in the RNA where plus strands are initiated. The 16-base RNase A-resistant fragment which spans the plus-strand origin can also serve as a source of the specific plus-strand primer RNA. Evidence is presented that some of the plus-strand origin fragments synthesized in the endogenous reaction contain 5' ribonucleotides, suggesting that specific RNA primers for plus-strand initiation may be generated during reverse transcription in vivo as well.

tRNA's and priming of RNA-directed DNA synthesis in mouse mammary tumor virus

The low-molecular-weight RNAs of mouse mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) were examined by two-dimensional acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Unlike other retroviruses, MuMTV was found to contain only two major fractions of tRNA. These have been fully characterized and shown to correspond to the published sequences for tRNA1+2Lys and tRNA3Lys. By determining which of these tRNA's was most tightly associated with the MuMTV genome and which of them acquired label from [alpha-32P]deoxynucleoside triphosphates in limited DNA synthesis reactions, we identified tRNA3Lys as the primer for MuMTV reverse transcription in vitro. tRNA3Lys does not share any unusual sequence feature with the other previously characterized retrovirus primers, tRNATrp and tRNAPro.

Structure of Moloney murine leukemia viral DNA: nucleotide sequence of the 5' long terminal repeat and adjacent cellular sequences

Some unintegrated and all integrated forms of murine leukemia viral DNA contain long terminal repeats (LTRs). The entire nucleotide sequence of the LTR and adjacent cellular sequences at the 5' end of a cloned integrated proviral DNA obtained from BALB/Mo mouse has been determined. It was compared to the nucleotide sequence of the LTR at the 3' end. The results indicate: (i) a direct 517-nucleotide repeat at the 5' and 3' termini; (ii) 145 nucleotides out of 517 nucleotides represent sequences between the 5'-CAP nucleotide and 3' end of the primer tRNA (strong-stop DNA); (iii) an 11-nucleotide inverted repeat is present at the ends of the 5'-LTR and a total of 17 out of 21 nucleotides at the termini are inverted repeats; (iv) sequences CAATAAAAG (at positions -24 to -31) and CAATAAAC (at positions +46 to +53) resembling the hypothetical DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II promoter site can be identified in the 5'-LTR; (v) the sequence GAAA appears to be repeated on both sides of the junction of viral and cellular sequences; and (vi) in analogy with the bacterial transposons, the presence of an inverted repeat sequence at the termini of 5'-LTR suggests that M-MLV also has the integration properties of a transposon.

RNA primer used in synthesis of anticomplementary DNA by reverse transcriptase of avian myeloblastosis virus

When either the homologous RNA (avian myeloblastosis virus RNA) or a heterologous RNA (poliovirus RNA) was used as a template, the anticomplementary DNA synthesized in vitro by avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase (RNA-directed DNA nucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.7) was primed by fragments of the original RNA template that usually had adenosine at their 3' ends. When we used phage T/ RNA ligase (EC 6.5.1.3) to label the 3' end of the RNA template fragments contained in the RNA . cDNA hybrid intermediate, adenosine was found to be the principal nucleoside carrying the label. We infer from these results that the ribonuclease H (hybrid nuclease) activity of the reverse transcriptase creates fragments of the original RNA template with adenosine as the principal 3' terminus and that these fragments serve as primers for the synthesis of anticomplementary DNA.

RNA-directed DNA synthesis in Moloney murine leukemia virus: interaction between the primer tRNA and the genome RNA

Initiation of RNA-directed DNA synthesis in virions of Moloney murine leukemia virus requires a cellular tRNAPro as primer. The site(s) on the Moloney murine leukemia virus genome RNA at which functional primer molecules are bound and at which purified tRNAPro hybridizes has been located near (within 20%) the 5' end of the genome. A relatively stable duplex (temperature at which 50% dissociation has occurred, 76 degrees C) is formed between the amino acid acceptor stem of the tRNAPro and a complementary sequence in the Moloney murine leukemia virus 35S RNA. The interaction involves 19 base pairs, extending from the penultimate nucleotide at the 3' end of the tRNAPro but apparently not including the 3'-terminal adenosine residue. In most respects, the interaction between primer and template in Moloney murine leukemia virus parallels the situation in the avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses.

Relationship of retrovirus polyprotein cleavages to virion maturation studied with temperature-sensitive murine leukemia virus mutants

Murine leukemia virus mutants ts3 (Moloney) and ts24 (Rauscher) both formed late-budding structures on the cell membrane at restrictive temperature. They both accumulated core polyproteins Pr65gag and Pr180gag-pol in cell membranes, but the envelope precursor was rapidly turned over. After shift to permissive temperature in the presence of cycloheximide, the accumulated precursors were sequentially cleaved via discrete intermediates both during the final stages of the budding process and in newly released virions to yield the finished virion core proteins and reverse transcriptase. The precursor form of reverse transcriptase was not enzymatically active and became activated partially or entirely inside released virions.

Low-molecular-weight RNAs of Moloney murine leukemia virus: identification of the primer for RNA-directed DNA synthesis

The small RNAs of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) were fractionated into at least 15 species by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The pattern of small RNAs is significantly different from that of Rous sarcoma virus. A subset of the virion small RNAs is associated with the genome RNA in the 70S complex. One of the associated molecules, a cellular tRNA, is tightly bound to the genome RNA and serves as the major primer for M-MuLV RNA-directed DNA synthesis in vitro.

Increased length of DNA made by virions of murine leukemia virus at limiting magnesium ion concentration

Conditions have been developed for reverse transcription by detergent-disrupted virions of Moloney murine leukemia virus which permit synthesis of molecules that appear to be complete transcripts of the 35S RNA subunits. At limiting Mg2+ concentration, DNA is synthesized in good yield, up to a maximum size of about 2.4 X 10(6) daltons. DNA larger than 2 X 10(6) daltons, taken from alkaline sucrose gradients, has no detectable self-complementarity and was protected from digestion by S1 nuclease to an extent of 90% by annealing to 70S RNA. All size classes of DNA made in these reactions are primed with RNA, because all are initiated with a pApdAjunction. To produce such long molecules, it is necessary to keep the concentration of Mg2+ in the reaction mixture below the total concentration of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. Under these conditions, degradation of the RNA template is minimized. The rate of DNA synthesis is also slowed by 30 to 50%, but products longer than 5,000 nucleotides, which are not found otherwise, are completed between 3 and 6h of reaction.

Physicochemical analysis of the deoxyribonucleic acid product of murine intracisternal A particle RNA-directed DNA polymerase

The nascent DNA transcript of intracisternal A particle RNA-directed DNA polymerase appeared to be covalently linked to an RNA primer. Fidelity of transcription is evident since the DNA transcript hybridized specifically back to 35-70 S RNA of intracisternal A particles but not with heterologous RNAs. This DNA transcript has an approximate molecular weight of 145 000, estimating 350 polynucleotides and base ratios with an excess of dGMP.

Synethesis and integration of viral DNA in chicken cells at different time after infection with various multiplicities of avian oncornavirus

To see if integration of the provirus resulting from RNA tumor virus infection is limited to specific sites in the cell DNA, the variation in the number of copies of virus-specific DNA produced and integrated in chicken embryo fibroblasts after RAV-2 infection with different multiplicities has been determined at short times, long times, and several transfers after infection. The number of copies of viral DNA in cells was determined by initial hybridization kinetics of single-stranded viral complementary DNA with a moderate excess of cell DNA. The approach took into account the different sizes of cell DNA and complementary DNA in the hybridization mixture. It was found that uninfected chicken embryo fibroblasts have approximately seven copies, part haploid genome of DNA sequences homologous to part of the Rous-association virus 2 (RAV-2) genome. Infection with RAV-2 adds additional copies, and different sequences, of RAV -2- specific DNA. By 13 h postinfection, there are 3 to 10 additional copies per haploid genome. This number can not be increased by increasing the multiplicity of infection, and stays relatively constant up to 20 h postinfection, when some of the additional viral DNA is integrated. Between 20 and 40 h postinfection, the cells accumulated up to 100 copies per haploid genome of viral DNA. Most of these are unintegrated. This number decreases with cell transfer, until cells are left with one to three copies of additional viral DNA sequences per haploid genome, of which most are integrated. The finding that viral infection causes the permanent addition of one to three copies of integrated viral DNA, despite the cells being confronted with up to 100 copies per haploid genome after infection, is consistent with a hypothesis that chicken cells contain a limited number of specific integration sites for the oncornavirus genome.

Low molecular weight viral RNAs transcribed by RNA polymerase III during adenovirus 2 infection

Nuclei isolated from human cells productively infected with adenovirus 2 have been shown to synthesize four low molecular weight RNA species which hybridize efficiently to viral DNA. One species corresponds to the 5.5S or VA RNA (Ohe, Weissman, and Cooke, 1969), and is designated V156. The other three species are novel and have been designated V200, V140, V130, since they are approximately 200, 140, and 130 nucleotides in length, respectively. These viral RNAs retain their distinct electrophoretic properties after denaturation with formamide. RNA species with electrophoretic mobilities similar to those of the V200, V156, and V140 RNAs have been found in the cytoplasmic fraction of cells at late times after adenovirus infection. In isolated nuclei, the V200, V156, V140, and V130 RNAs are all synthesized by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase III, since synthesis is sensitive to high but not to low concentrations of alpha-amanitin. The synthesis of these low molecular weight RNAs continues for a prolonged period of time in isolated nuclei, suggesting that reinitiation occurs. Adenovirus 2 DNA fragments obtained by digestion with restriction endonucleases Eco RI and Sma I were used to map the location of the DNA sequences which encode the RNAs. All the low molecular weight RNAs hybridized to a region of the genome between o.18 and 0.38 fractional lengths from the left end of the adenovirus genome, suggesting that the respective DNA sequences are clustered. Other nonviral low molecular weight RNAs are synthesized in nuclei isolated from infected cells. These include the cellular 5S rRNA species which was minitored by its hybridization to purified 5S DNA from Xenopus laevis.

Comparative ability of RNA and DNA to prime DNA synthesis in vitro: role of sequence, sugar, and structure of template-primer

The priming efficiency of oligo(RNA) vs. oligo(DNA) in a homopolymer template-homooligomer primer system was compared using four DNA polymerases. The templates included (dT)n, (dA)n, (dC)n, and (dI)n. Primers were the oligomers of the complementary DNA OR RNA with chain lengths of 6 to 23. The DNA polymerases used were from Micrococcus luteus, avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV), and Escherichia coli (polymerase I and polymerase III). The polymerases demonstrated a preference for the DNA primers with (dC)n, (dA)n, and (dI)n templates. However, when (dT)n was the template, all but the AMV polymerase preferred (rA)11 more than 200-fold better than (dA)12. This preference was due to the physical structure of the initiation complex. The structures of the oligo-polymer complexes were characterized by mixing curves, melting curves, and analytical bouyant density analyses. (rA)11 + (dT)n formed predominatly a duplex structure, whereas (dA)12 + (dT)n formed the three- stranded structure, (dA12-2(dT)n. The Km of the duplex with E. coli Pol III was 2.9 mugM (rA)11. The Ki of the triplex was 2.2 mugM (dA)12, indicating that Pol III could bind to the triplex but would not elongate the (dA)12 primer. The influence of structure on priming also was demonstrated with longer oligomers, (dA)23 and (rA)23, where the (dA)23 formed more duplex-like structures and primed more than the (dA)12.(dT)10 + (dA)n complexes also were shown to form triplex structures that inhibited priming. These results show that template-primer structure has more influence on priming than the sugar moiety or the sequence of the nucleic acid.

Studies on reverse transcriptase of RNA tumor viruses III. Properties of purified Moloney murine leukemia virus DNA polymerase and associated RNase H

DNA polymerase was purified from a cloned isolate of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV). Purified M-MuLV DNA polymerase, upon analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, showed one major polypeptide of mol wt 80,000. Estimation of molecular weight from the sedimentation rate of the purifed enzyme in a glycerol gradient was consistent with a structure containing one polypeptide. M-MuLV DNA polymerase could transcribe ribopolymers, deoxyribopolymers, and heteropolymers as efficiently as did purified DNA polymerase from avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV). M-MuLV DNA polymerase, however, transcribed native 70S viral RNA less efficiently than did AMV DNA polymerase. Addition of oligo(dT) enhanced five to tenfold the transcription of 70S viral RNA by M-MuLV DNA polymerase. Purified enzyme also exhibited nuclease activity (RNase H) that selectively degraded the RNA moiety of the RNA-DNA hybrid. It did not degrade single-stranded RNA, single-stranded DNA, double-stranded RNA, and double-stranded DNA. M-MuLV DNA polymerase-associated RNase H acted as a random exonuclease. When [3-H]poly(A)-poly(dT) was used as a substrate, the size of the M-MuLV DNA polymerase-associated RHase H digested product was larger than the size of the digestion products by AMV DNA polymerase. The oligonucleotide digestion products could be further digested to 5'-AMP by snake venom phosphodiesterase, indicating that the products were terminated by 3'-OH groups. Alkaline hydrolysis of the oligonucleotide digestion products generated pAp, suggesting that M-MuLV DNA polymerase-associated RNase H cleaves at the 3' side of the 3',5'-phosphodiester bond. The ratios of the rates of DNA polymerase activity and RNase H activity were not significantly different in the murine and avian enzymes.

Interspersion of sequences in avian myeloblastosis virus rna that rapidly hybridize with leukemic chicken cell DNA

Liquid hybridization of progressively smaller fragments (35S, 27S, 15.5S, 12.5S, and 8S) of poly(A)-selected avian myeloblastosis virus RNA with excess DNA from leukemic chicken myeloblasts revealed that all sizes of RNA contained sequences complementary to both slowly and rapidly hybridizing cellular DNA sequences. Apparently, the RNA sequences which hybridize rapidly with excesses of cellular DNA are not restricted to any one region of the avian myeloblastosis virus 35S RNA. Instead, they appear to be randomly distributed over the entire 35S avian myeloblastosis virus RNA molecule with some positioned within 200 nucleotides of the poly(A) tract at the 3' end of the RNA.

RNA-directed DNA synthesis by the DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus: structural and functional identification of 4S primer RNA in uninfected cells

The RNA-directed DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus requires a 4S RNA molecule as primer for the initiation of DNA synthesis on the viral 70S RNA genome. We have now functionally identified primer activity in uninfected cells on the basis of the capacity of cellular 4S RNA to actively participate in the initiation of DNA synthesis by the RNA-directed DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus in vitro. This was accomplished by reconstitution experiments in which 4S RNA from uninfected avian cells was tested for its ability to restore template activity to the viral RNA genome from which all primer had been removed. Similar reconstitution experiments were employed to demonstrate a primer activity in the 4S RNA population of duck, mouse, and human cells. Primer activity appears to be absent in lower eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. Unambiguous identification of the Rous sarcoma virus primer molecule in uninfected cells was accomplished by directly purifying a 4S RNA molecule from the bulk of host cell transfer RNA and establishing structural similarities between this cellular 4S RNA species and the Rous sarcoma virus primer by two-dimensional paper electrophoresis of oligonucleotides obtained from a T1 ribonuclease digest of the RNA species. We conclude that the Rous sarcoma virus DNA polymerase can utilize a host cell molecule as primer for the initiation of RNA-directed DNA synthesis in vitro.

Transcription of DNA from the 70S RNA of Rous sarcoma virus. I. Identification of a specific 4S RNA which serves as primer

The enzymatic transcription of DNA from the 70S RNA of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is initiated on the 3' terminus of a molecule of 4S RNA which is hydrogen bonded to the viral genome. We labeled this primer with radioactive deoxynucleotides, and demonstrated that its release from 70S RNA by thermal denaturation was accompanied by a reduction in the template activity of the viral RNA. Two-dimensional electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels separated the 4S RNAs associated with the 70S RNA of RSV into approximately eight fractions, each of which appeared to contain a discrete species of tRNA. The RNA in one of these fractions served as the principal primer for initiation of DNA synthesis by both detergent-disrupted virions of RSV and purified RNA-directed DNA polymerase with RSV 70S RNA as template.

Hamster leukemia virus: lack of endogenous DNA synthesis and unique structure of its DNA polymerase

Infectious hamster leukemia virus (HaLV) contains a DNA polymerase different from those of murine and avian viruses. No endogenous reaction directed by the 60 to 70S RNA of HaLV could be demonstrated in detergenttreated HaLV virions, nor could the purified DNA polymerase copy added viral RNA. The virion RNA could, however, act as template for added avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase and the HaLV DNA polymerase could efficiently utilize homopolymers as templates. The HaLV enzyme was like other reverse transcriptases in that certain ribohomopolymers were much better templates than the homologous deoxyribohomopolymers. No ribonuclease H activity could be shown in the HaLV enzyme, but neither could activity be found in the murine leukemia virus DNA polymerase. The hamster enzyme was unique in that poly(A) .oligo(dT) was a poor template, and globin mRNA primed with oligo(dT) was totally inactive as a template. Its uniqueness was also indicated by its subunit composition; electrophoresis of the HaLV DNA polymerase in sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gels revealed equimolar amounts of two polypeptides of molecular weight 68,000 and 53,000. The sedimentation rate of the enzyme in glycerol gradients was consistent with a structure containing one each of the two polypeptides. The enzyme thus appears to be structurally distinct from other known virion DNA polymerases. Its inability to carry out an endogenous reaction in vitro might result from an inability to utilize certain primers.

Transcription of DNA from the 70S RNA of Rous sarcoma virus. II. Structure of a 4S RNA primer

The 70S RNA of Rous sarcoma virus contains 4S RNAs which serve as primers for the initiation of DNA synthesis in vitro by the RNA-directed DNA polymerase of the virus. We purified these primers in three different ways-by isolation of the covalent complex between primer and nascent DNA, by differential melting of the 70S RNA, and by two-dimensional electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. The 4S RNAs purified by these procedures were homogeneous and possessed very similar if not identical nucleotide compositions and sequences. The RNAs were approximately 75 nucleotides long, had pG at the 5' terminus and CpCpA(OH) at the 3' terminus, and contained a number of minor nucleotides characteristic of tRNA. In contrast to most tRNA's, the primer lacked rTp and contained Gp (Psip, Psip, Cp) Gp (possibly in place of the characteristic sequence GprTpPsipCpGp). At least 50% of the 4S primers available on 70S RNA were utilized in a standard polymerase reaction in vitro.

Extent of transcription of mouse sarcoma-leukemia virus by RNA-directed DNA polymerase

The DNA product obtained from the endogenous RNA-directed DNA polymerase (deoxynucleosidetriphosphate:DNA deoxynucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.7) reaction of the Moloney sarcoma:leukemia viruses produced by the 78 A-1 cell line was analyzed and characterized. The extent of transcription of viral 70S RNA was measured by RNA.DNA hybridization ((32)P-viral RNA-(3)H product DNA). No double-stranded DNA was obtained. The product consisted of 95-99% single-stranded DNA with an average length of 200 nucleotides. In contrast to the results reported with avian and other RNA oncogenic viruses, it was found that the entire 70S viral RNA genome was transcribed into DNA pieces and that a small excess of the product DNA was sufficient to anneal the 70S RNA and render it totally resistant to single-stranded-specific enzyme digestion.

RNA-DNA covalent bonds between the RNA primers and the DNA products formed by RNA tumor virus DNA polymerase

Initiation of DNA synthesis by endogenous RNA primer molecules was studied with three different RNA tumor viruses. The influence of the method of virus disruption on the observed RNA-DNA bonds was ascertained. Ether disrupted virions of both murine leukemia virus (MuLV) and the B77 strain of avian sarcoma virus (B77 virus) have rC-dC and rA-dA covalent linkages between RNA primers and newly synthesized DNA. None of the 14 other possible bonds were formed. Ether-disrupted virions of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) have rU-dC and rA-dA linkages. In contrast, work reported herein and from other laboratories shows that Nonidet P-40 (NP-40)-disrupted virions of all three viruses have only the rA-dA junction. Studies with virus particles which were first disrupted with ether and then treated with NP-40 indicated that the detergent treatment disallowed the formation of the ribopyrimidine-dC internucleotide bond. The same transfers are found with AMV in the presence or absence of actinomycin D, where only single-stranded DNA is formed. This finding is consistent with the notion that virtually all of the significant primers have been recognized. In contrast to mature virions, transfer experiments with ether-disrupted early harvest (5 min) MuLV showed only the rC-dC bond; the rA-dA bond was absent. The short-time harvest contains a significantly higher proportion of infectious virions than 24-h harvests. Also, since the RNA from early harvest virus is appreciably more homogenous than the RNA of mature MuLV, it is concluded that the ribopyrimidine-dC linkage is the more significant initiation event from a biochemical standpoint.

Chromatographic analyses of isoaccepting tRNAs from avian myeloblastosis virus

Avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) 4S RNA was tested for amino acid acceptor activity for 18 of the 20 amino acids. A nonrandom distribution of viral tRNAs was found compared with tRNA from normal liver or from AMV-infected leukemic myeloblasts, confirming previous reports. Methionine and proline tRNAs were considerably enriched, whereas glutamic acid, glutamine, serine, tyrosine, and valine tRNAs were markedly depleted in AMV relative to homologous cellular tRNAs. The seven AMV tRNAs with the greatest amino acid acceptance capacities, which were in order methionine, proline, lysine, arginine, histidine, isoleucine, and threonine tRNAs, were compared with homologous tRNAs from leukemic myeloblasts and liver by reversed-phase 5 chromatography. Of the 25 isoaccepting chromatographic fractions identified, no tRNA species unique to AMV was detected. Only methionyl-tRNA showed a substantial quantitative variation in isoaccepting species compared with the host cell. Thus, viral selectivity for amino acid-specific tRNAs is not, generally, paralleled by selectivity for individual isoaccepting tRNA species. Qualitative differences in arginyl- and histidyl-tRNA isoaccepting species were discovered in virus and leukemic myeloblasts compared with liver. This indicates the existence of structural differences in these tRNA species which could be related to virus replication or expression.