Recombinant reverse transcriptase of Rous sarcoma virus: characterization of DNA polymerase and RNAase H activities.

Abstract

Enzyme preparations of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) reverse transcriptase have been isolated from a culture of E. coli HB101(pMF14). The enzyme has been purified to homogeneity and been shown to consist of two subunits, of molecular mass 97.4 and 61.3 kDa, respectively. The optimum conditions for the DNA polymerase and RNAase H activities, fidelity of DNA synthesis on a homogeneous RNA template, and the inhibitory effect of azidothymidine triphosphate have been determined. Data on the use of RSV recombinant reverse transcriptase for cDNA synthesis are given.