Accurate initiation of human epsilon-globin RNA synthesis by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase in isolated nuclei of K562 erythroleukemia cells.

The human epsilon-globin gene was transcribed in vitro in isolated K562 cell nuclei by using exogenous Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (EC 2.7.7.6). Newly formed RNA transcripts were distinguished from nuclear RNA molecules by (i) incorporating mercurated UTP into RNA under conditions in which the endogenous polymerase II is inactive and (ii) subsequently isolating the mercurated RNA by affinity chromatography on thiolated Sepharose. A specific 5'-end-labeled probe spanning the epsilon-globin gene cap site was used in nuclease S1 mapping studies to examine the in vitro initiation site of the isolated transcripts. It was found that transcription occurred from the coding strand only and originated almost entirely from a point that was identical to that of the major cap site for epsilon-globin mRNA in vivo.