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RNA POLYMERASE ACTIVITY IN THE SUPERIOR CERVICAL GANGLION OF THE NEONATAL RAT: THE EFFECT OF NERVE GROWTH FACTOR
Author(s) -
Huff Kenneth,
Lakshmanan J.,
Guroff Gordon
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1978.tb07830.x
Subject(s) - rna polymerase , polymerase , superior cervical ganglion , nerve growth factor , in vivo , biology , cervical ganglia , rna , enzyme , medicine , chemistry , endocrinology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genetics , receptor , gene
— The activity of RNA polymerase in the superior cervical ganglia of the neonatal rat has been studied. The characteristics of the activity with respect to enzyme concentration, temperature, time, and ion concentrations are presented. Ionic conditions of the assay favoring polymerase I and polymerase II were each studied in the presence of specific inhibitors of DNA‐dependent RNA synthesis. The K m for GTP under either polymerase I or polymerase II conditions was found to be 10 −5 M, and the relative amounts of poly(A)‐containing RNA synthesized under both conditions was 4‐5%. A decrease in the activity of RNA polymerase with age has been observed. The time course of increased activity following treatment of the animals in vivo or treatment of the isolated ganglia in organ culture with nerve growth factor is presented. The increase in activity observed after the administration of nerve growth factor is discussed in terms of possible mechanisms of action of nerve growth factor in this tissue.