Properties of a purified nucleolar ribonuclease from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells

A nucleolar ribonuclease specific for single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) has been isolated and extensively purified from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. The enzyme is optimally active at neutral pH and degrades RNA via a 2',3'-cyclic intermediate leaving 3'- or 2',3'-cyclic terminated oligonucleotides. The ribonuclease has an apparent molecular weight of 38 500 as judged by sedimentation equilibrium and is a basic protein having an isoelectric point greater than 9.0. The enzyme preferentially cleaves poly(C) over poly (U), poly(A), or poly(C).poly(I). Limit digestion products of poly(C) degratation are on the average tri-, tetra-, and pentanucleotides. In the partial digestion of yeast 5.8S rRNA, the nucleolar ribonuclease cleaves only CpA phosphodiester bonds. Spermidine, spermine, and histone I inhibit the activity of nucleolar ribonuclease. Antibodies directed toward pancreatic RNase do not cross-react with the Ehrlich nucleolar ribonuclease.