Extended RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei from rat pituitary tumor cells

Nuclei of GH3 cells, isolated by detergent lysis, synthesized RNA for an extended period at 29 degrees C in the presence of rat liver ribonuclease inhibitor (RI). Extended RNA synthesis was dependent upon the presence of RI. Sucrose gradient sedimentation analysis of the cell-free reaction products showed that RNAs ranging from 4 S to greater than 28 S were synthesized. Further characterization of the RNA products was made by examining the sensitivity of synthesis to alpha-amanitin and actinomycin D as well as by oligo(dT)-cellulose binding properties. Evidence was obtained that RNA polymerases I, II, and III were functioning in isolated GH3 nuclei. Newly synthesized RNAs were found in both the nuclear pellet and postnuclear supernatant fractions. RNA polymerase I products remained associated with the nuclear pellet throughout a 60-min incubation period whereas RNAs synthesized by RNA polymerase III emerged rapidly into the supernatant fraction. RNA polymerase II products were distributed in both fractions and were found to contain poly(A). De novo poly(A) synthesis was demonstrated and found to be inhibited by cordvcepin triphosphate (3'-dATP). Supernatant RNAs synthesized by polymerase II contained a poly(A) segment of about 150 adenine residues; these transcripts sedimented heterogeneously with an apparent size distribution (under denaturing conditions) which was smaller than that of nuclear RNA polymerase II products and which resembled that of cellular mRNA. Qualitative differences in the nuclear and supernatant RNAs, the kinetics of appearance of the latter, and the differential effect of 3'-dATP on the extranuclear appearance of supernatant RNAs suggest that a process resembling nuclear-cytoplasmic RNA transport occurred in this cell-free nuclear system.