[Photoaffinity modification of bacteriophage T7 DNA-dependent RNA polymerase by the reaction product containing the azido derivative of UTP].

The possibility of using the 5-[3-(E)-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzamido)-propenyl-1]-UTP (N3-TFBP-UTP) as the affinity modificator of bacteriophage T7 DNA-dependent RNA polymerase was demonstrated. The UTP derivative used was rather efficient substrate substituting UTP in the transcription reaction performed by the enzyme. The UV treatment of "stopped" reaction complex formed using three of four substrate ribonucleotides, allow to obtain the covalent binding between the enzyme and the reaction product of 9 nucleotides length.

Mapping of T7 RNA polymerase active site with novel reagents--oligonucleotides with reactive dialdehyde groups.

Oligonucleotides of a novel type containing 2'-O-beta-ribofuranosyl-cytidine were synthesized and further oxidized to yield T7 consensus promoters with dialdehyde groups. Both types of oligonucleotides were tested as templates, inhibitors, and affinity reagents for T7 RNA polymerase and its mutants. All oligonucleotides tested retained high affinity towards the enzyme.

Synthesis of mixed ribo/deoxyribopolynucleotides by mutant T7 RNA polymerase.

Synthesis of deoxynucleotide-containing RNA-like single-stranded polynucleotides (dcRNAs) using the Y639F, S641A mutant of T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) was studied. A number of different T7 promoter-containing plasmids were tested as templates for dcRNA synthesis. The dcRNA synthesis efficiency strongly depended on the sequence of the first 8-10 nucleotides immediately downstream of the promoter and increased with the distance of the first incorporated dNMP from the transcription start.

Mutant T7 RNA polymerase is capable of catalyzing DNA primer extension reaction.

The mutant T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP), containing two substitutions (Y639F, S641A) was earlier shown to utilize both rNTP and dNTP in a transcription-like reaction. In this report the ability of the enzyme to catalyze DNA primer extension reaction was demonstrated. The efficiency of the reaction essentially depended on the type of the primer sequence, and was significantly higher if the primer coincided with the T7 promoter non-coding sequence.

Deoxyribonucleotide-containing RNAs: a novel class of templates for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Deoxyribonucleotide-containing RNA-like polynucleotides (dcRNAs) were synthesized by mutant T7 RNA polymerase and their structures confirmed by sequencing. dcRNAs annealed with a 20mer oligodeoxyribonucleotide primer were tested as templates/primers in the reverse transcription reaction catalyzed by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT). All dcRNAs were shown to be efficient templates for both wild-type RT and RT mutants, containing 'AZT-resistant' mutations.

[Stability of human immunodeficiency virus to azidothymidine. II. Kinetic characteristics of "AZT-resistant" mutant forms of reverse transcriptase].

Prolonged treatment of AIDS patients with azidothymidine results in the development of resistance to the drug which correlates with the appearance of point mutations in the reverse transcriptase (RT) coding region within the HIV-1 pol gene. Kinetic studies of interactions of wild type RT and its mutants harbouring the above mutations with substrates and azidothymidine 5'-triphosphate (AZTTP) have been carried out. The complete mutant containing all the above described mutations possess the highest resistance on all the templates tested.

[Kinetic analysis of interaction of human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase with alkaloids].

The interactions of HIV-I reverse transcriptase with some alkaloids were studied. Among nine compounds tested three--berberine, palmatine and sanguiritrine--inhibited RT. The dependence of the inhibition on the type of template-primer was also demonstrated.

The studies of cooperative regions in T7 RNA polymerase.

The heat denaturation of bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase (T7RNAP) was studied by scanning microcalorimetry. The thermodynamic parameters of the denaturation were estimated within the pH range 6-9. The analysis of the denaturation curves showed the presence of two cooperative parts of the T7RNAP molecule melting according to the 'all-or-none' principle.

[Studies of the resistance of the human immunodeficiency virus to azidothymidine. I. Kinetic studies of the interaction between reverse transcriptase and a series of its mutant forms with substrates and azidothymidine-5'-trisphosphate].

Prolonged therapy of AIDS patients with azidothymidine results in the development of resistance to the drug. This phenomenon is accompanied by the appearance of point mutations in the pol gene coding for reverse transcriptase (RT). Kinetic studies of interactions of wild type RT and its forms containing the above-mentioned mutations with substrates and azidothymidine 5'-triphosphate have been carried out.

[Functional studies of mutant forms of bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerases containing point substitutions in the motif at the active site of the enzyme].

Monomeric DNA and RNA polymerases contain a number of conserved motifs. By means of random and oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis the point mutants of bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase containing the amino acid substitutions in motif B which is the part of the active site were obtained. The kinetic properties of the mutants were studied.

Inactivation of bacteriophage T7 DNA-dependent RNA polymerase by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine. Identification of the modification site and the effect of the modification on enzyme action.

Bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase was covalently modified by 5'-[4-fluorosulfonyl)benzoyl]adenosine (4-FSO2BzAdo). The modified enzyme lacks the ability to catalyze RNA synthesis from the phi 10 promoter of bacteriophage T7; both promoter and GTP binding being markedly decreased. The mild hydrolysis of the ester bond of 4-FSO2BzAdo within the covalent enzyme-inhibitor complex restores the RNA synthesis at a lower rate.

[Affinity modification of DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase from phage T7 with 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine: the effect of modification on the interaction with substrates].

T7 RNA polymerase, covalently modified with 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine, looses the ability of binding the promoter (pGEM-2 plasmid) and poly(dC) template as well as the initiating nucleoside triphosphate (GTP). However the enzyme retains the unspecific binding with DNA fragments of considerable length.

[Activation of adenylate cyclase system enzymes and lysosomal acid phosphatase in target cells interacting with T-killer cells].

The interaction of T-killers with target cells was studied to reveal the biochemical changes in the latter. On specific binding of target cells with T-killers the activity in target cells of cAMP phosphodiesterase increased 2.1-fold, the level of cAMP decreased 1.

[Phosphorylation of lysine-rich histones by swine brain histokinase].

The phosphorylation of lysine-rich histones F1, F2a2 and F2b of calf thymus has been investigated using homogeneous histone kinase from pig brain. 32P-labelled phosphopeptides from tryptic digests of corresponding histones were obtained. According to N-terminal analysis and the quantitative determination of amino acid composition of the obtained radioactive peptides the sites of phosphorylation were identified in the primary structure of lysine-rich histones, namely, Ser-38 for the polypeptide chain of histone F1, Ser-19 or 18 for histone F2a2 and Ser-14 and 36 for histone F2b.