[Pyrophosphate analogs in the pyrophosphorolysis reaction catalyzed by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase]

Processive pyrophosphorolysis of RNA from ternary RNA polymerase-nascent RNA-delta D111 T7 DNA complex has been followed in the absence of nucleoside triphosphates. Series of inorganic pyrophosphate analogs were investigated for their ability to sustain the reaction and to compete with inorganic pyrophosphate for the reaction. Methylenediphosphonic, imidodiphosphonic, phosphonacetic acids, inorganic triphosphate, methylenediphosphonic and phosphate were found to be capable of substituting the inorganic pyrophosphate in RNA degradation reaction with tantamount efficiency. They give rise to nucleoside monophosphates for phosphonoacetic acid, nucleoside triphosphates for inorganic pyrophosphate and inorganic triphosphate, nucleoside triphosphates analogs for methylenediphosphonic, imidodiphosphonic acids and methylenediphosphonic acid phosphate as the low molecular weight product of the reaction. The problem of specific interaction of RNA polymerase with nucleoside triphosphates and inorganic pyrophosphate is discussed in the terms of structural requirements for the compounds to be a potent substrate for RNA polymerase.