Messenger activity of RNA transcribed in vitro by DNA-RNA polymerase associated to vaccinia virus cores.

The coding properties of RNA transcribed in vitro by purified vaccinia cores have been investigated using Krebs ascites tumor cells, L cells, and reticulocyte lysates. Six to 10 proteins synthesized in vitro are separated on polyacrylamide gels by electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Their molecular weights vary from 10,000 to 44,000. The electrophoretic behavior of these proteins is similar to that of early proteins isolated from infected L cells. The tryptic peptide analysis of one of these proteins indicates similarity in amino acid sequences. These results show fidelity of both in vitro transcription and molecular weight above 44,000 are synthesized in vitro does not seem due to a competition between 12S mRNA synthesized in excess and RNA of a higher sedimentation coefficient present in a lower amount.