Isolation and properties of an RNA polymerase from influenza virus-infected cells

J Virol. 1973 Mar;11(3):441-8. doi: 10.1128/JVI.11.3.441-448.1973.

Abstract

Structures with RNA polymerase activity were isolated from influenza virus-infected cells, and consisted of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, similar in morphology to the viral internal component or nucleocapsid. The isolation procedure involved fractionation of infected cells in a discontinuous sucrose gradient, in which enzyme activity was concentrated in a fraction of intermediate density which contains both smooth and rough cytoplasmic membranes. The RNPs with polymerase activity were further purified in a velocity gradient, after which the peak fractions showed a 35-fold purification of the polymerase activity when compared with cytoplasmic extracts. The NP polypeptide, which is the subunit of the virion RNP, was the only virus-specific polypeptide detected in these RNP structures.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Cattle
  • Cell Fractionation
  • Cell Line
  • Centrifugation, Density Gradient
  • Cricetinae
  • Cytoplasm / enzymology
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / analysis*
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / isolation & purification
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / metabolism
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Glucosamine / metabolism
  • Kidney
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Nucleoproteins / analysis
  • Nucleotides / metabolism
  • Orthomyxoviridae* / analysis
  • Peptides / analysis
  • Protein Hydrolysates / metabolism
  • Staining and Labeling
  • Tritium
  • Viral Proteins / analysis

Substances

  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Nucleoproteins
  • Nucleotides
  • Peptides
  • Protein Hydrolysates
  • Viral Proteins
  • Tritium
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • Glucosamine