Solubilized DNA-dependent nuclear RNA polymerases from the mammary glands of late-pregnant rats

Mammary gland nuclear extracts from late-pregnant Wistar or Sprague-Dwaley rats, analyzed by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, were found to contain DNA-dependent RNA polymerases, cyclic nucleotide-binding proteins, and cyclic AMP-independent protein kinases. 1. The fractions from chromatographed nuclear extracts which contained nucleolar enzymes or nucleoplasmic enzyme II, bound radioactive cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. Other fractions also bound cyclic nucleotides, some preferentially associating with one or the other compound. 2. Cyclic AMP increased the amount of RNA formed by several alpha-amanitin-insensitive fractions containing nucleolar enzymes. 3. Cyclic AMP reduced the amount of RNA formed by column fractions which included nucleoplasmic enzyme II. 4. Cyclic GMP increased the amount of RNA synthesized by column fractions containing enzyme II. 5. Two major cyclic AMP-independent protein kinases which did not elute with enzymes Ib and II, and several minor protein kinases were present. These findings may have important implications for understanding the proximate control of transcription. A relationship between them is not established, but is under study.