Biomaterial Database

Zinc deficiency and the Euglena gracilis chromatin: formation of an alpha-amanitin-resistant RNA polymerase II. 1985

K H Falchuk, and B Mazus, and E Ber, and L Ulpino-Lobb, and B L Vallee

Both the single DNA-dependent RNA polymerase found in zinc-deficient (-Zn) Euglena gracilis and the RNA polymerase III from zinc-sufficient (+Zn) cells have been isolated by methods previously used to purify polymerases I and II [Falchuk, K. H., Mazus, B., Ulpino, L., & Vallee, B. L. (1976) Biochemistry 15, 4468; Falchuk, K. H., Mazus, B., Ulpino, L., & Vallee, B. L. (1977) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 74, 1206]. Like class II polymerases, the enzyme from -Zn organisms elutes from DNA-cellulose and phosphocellulose with 0.6 M NaCl and 0.35 M NH4Cl, respectively. It is inhibited by 8-hydroxyquinoline, 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid, alpha,alpha'-bipyridyl, dipicolinic acid, and 1,10-phenanthroline (OP); 4,7-phenanthroline, the nonchelating analogue, does not inhibit. The pKI(OP) of this enzyme is identical with that of polymerase II but distinct from those of polymerases I and III. Elemental analysis confirms that zinc is the functional metal while copper, manganese, iron, and magnesium are absent. However, the -Zn enzyme is at least 4 orders of magnitude more resistant to alpha-amanitin (alpha-A) than the class II polymerase. Further, its response to alpha-A is unlike that of either polymerase I or polymerase III. Thus, -Zn cells contain a single, alpha-amanitin-resistant (alpha-Ar) RNA polymerase, whose behavior otherwise resembles that of the alpha-amanitin-sensitive polymerase II.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D002614	Chelating Agents	Chemicals that bind to and remove ions from solutions. Many chelating agents function through the formation of COORDINATION COMPLEXES with METALS.	Chelating Agent,Chelator,Complexons,Metal Antagonists,Chelators,Metal Chelating Agents,Agent, Chelating,Agents, Chelating,Agents, Metal Chelating,Antagonists, Metal,Chelating Agents, Metal
D002843	Chromatin	The material of CHROMOSOMES. It is a complex of DNA; HISTONES; and nonhistone proteins (CHROMOSOMAL PROTEINS, NON-HISTONE) found within the nucleus of a cell.	Chromatins
D005056	Euglena gracilis	A species of fresh-water, flagellated EUKARYOTES in the phylum EUGLENIDA.	Euglena gracili,gracilis, Euglena
D000546	Amanitins	Cyclic peptides extracted from carpophores of various mushroom species. They are potent inhibitors of RNA polymerases in most eukaryotic species, blocking the production of mRNA and protein synthesis. These peptides are important in the study of transcription. Alpha-amanitin is the main toxin from the species Amanitia phalloides, poisonous if ingested by humans or animals.	Amanitin
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012319	RNA Polymerase II	A DNA-dependent RNA polymerase present in bacterial, plant, and animal cells. It functions in the nucleoplasmic structure and transcribes DNA into RNA. It has different requirements for cations and salt than RNA polymerase I and is strongly inhibited by alpha-amanitin. EC 2.7.7.6.	DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase II,RNA Pol II,RNA Polymerase B,DNA Dependent RNA Polymerase II
D015032	Zinc	A metallic element of atomic number 30 and atomic weight 65.38. It is a necessary trace element in the diet, forming an essential part of many enzymes, and playing an important role in protein synthesis and in cell division. Zinc deficiency is associated with ANEMIA, short stature, HYPOGONADISM, impaired WOUND HEALING, and geophagia. It is known by the symbol Zn.