Purification and characterization of bovine leukemia virus DNA polymerase

An RNA-directed DNA polymerase was purified from bovine leukemia virus (BLV) by successive glycerol gradient centrifugation, column chromatography on phosphocellulose and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The purified DNA polymerase transcribes heteropolymeric regions of 30--40 S RNA isolated from avian myeloblastosis virus. The enzyme differs from other known DNA polymerases of mammalian type-C RNA tumor viruses by the following properties: 1. Its apparent molecular weight as estimated by velocity sedimentation data is 58,000 at 0.12 M KCl and 43,000 in the presence of 0.50 M KCl. 2. It has a Mg2+ optimum of 10 mM, and a Mn2+ optimum of 0.25 mM with (rA)n-(dT)10 as template. 3. At 50 mM KCl it is inhibited more than 70%, but it is not inhibited by phosphate ions at 2 mM. These properties confirm the peculiar position of BLV within the family Retraviridae.