Initiation and transcription of a set of transfer ribonucleic acid genes in vitro

Using RNA polymerase purified from Escherichia coli, DNA isolated from the bacteriophage T4, and a bacterial supernatant fraction containing the necessary processing enzymes, a set of transfer RNAs can be formed in vitro. To characterize the site or sites of initiation of this tRNA transcription, rifampicin-resistant complexes of RNA polymerase, DNA, and either ATP (UTP and CTP) or GTP (UTP and CTP) were formed, and tRNA was transcribed from these stabilized sites. It is concluded that transcription of the entire set is initiated by ATP. To study the transcription of the tRNAs, the time sequence of the appearance of individual species was determined during synchronous transcription of a preformed RNA polymerase-DNA complex. The appearance of three RNA species is found to be consistent with the sequential transcription of a large polycistronic cluster; the order and distances, inferred from the times of transcription, are as required by the existing gene map. It is concluded that the initiation of tRNA transcription can occur, without accessory factors, with the insertion of ATP at a single or a few closely spaced sites, and that the tRNAs encoded by the bacteriophage T4 are present in a single operon.