RNA-dependent DNA-polymerase was isolated from rat liver, and its characteristics were studied. Wistar rat livers were homogenized in the disruptive buffer, centrifuged at 100,000 g and the supernatant was freed of the nucleic acids by DEAE-cellulose (DE-23) chromatography. The further chromatography of the eluate on DEAE-cellulose (DE-52) and phosphocellulose P-11 resulted in the obtaining of 300-400-fold purified RNA-dependent DNA-polymerase. Even more purified enzyme 1500-fold was isolated from the 165,000 g pellet of postmitochondrial rat liver fraction. The main properties of the purified enzyme are characteristic for the retroviral reverse transcriptase. The enzyme catalyzes DNA synthesis when poly(A)+mRNA is used as a template-primer. Its sedimentation constant amounts to 4.6 S. Mg2+ is preferable to Mn2+ as an activator of the enzyme. The optimal pH is 7.8. Among the products of the enzymic reaction hybrid RNA X DNA molecules were identified.
Animals Centrifugation, Density Gradient