Effect of salt on the transcription of T7 DNA by RNA polymerase from T4 phage-infected E.coli.

Transcription of T7 DNA by T4 core enzyme with host sigma is more sensitive to KCI than that by host core enzyme with host sigma. When salt is added after initiation of RNA chains has occurred, it is not inhibitory. Salt affects the binding of T4 enzyme to T7 DNA to the same degree as the binding of host enzyme. Active preinitiation complex formation is inhibited more by salt with the T4 enzyme and the inhibition is temperature-dependent.