Stimulation of Sendai virion transcriptase by polyanions.

Exogenous polyribonucleotides stimulated the ribonucleic acid (RNA) transcriptase in Sendai virions. Added yeast RNA, polyadenylic acid, or polycytidylic acid increased incorporation of (3)H-guanosine monophosphate as much as fivefold. The products of stimulated reactions were virus-specific as determined by hybridization with Sendai virion RNA, but they sedimented more slowly (13s) than the product of an unstimulated reaction (16s). The stimulating activity was nondialyzable and heat stable, but was abolished by alkaline hydrolysis. Nucleoside monophosphates, individually or in combination, were ineffective, confirming the requirement for a polymer. Among other substances tested for effects on Sendai virion transcriptase, polyaspartic acid and polyglutamic acid stimulated the enzyme; polyinosinic acid, polyuridylic acid, and polyamines had no effect; and dextran sulfate and polyvinyl sulfate were inhibitory.