Functional purification and enzymic characterization of the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase of human immunodeficiency...

The RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (RDDP) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was purified from sucrose density gradient-banded virus by four successive procedures: anion exchange chromatography, cation exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose and adsorption chromatography on hydroxyapatite. The enzyme preparation was free of cellular DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity. The properties of HIV RDDP were determined with a variety of template-primers. Generally, the enzyme used Mg2+ for optimal activity except with (Cm)n X (dG)12-18 as template-primer. Kinetic data (Michaelis constant, Hill coefficient) were calculated for several substrates.