The synthesis of a self-propagating and infectious nucleic acid with a purified enzyme.

Abstract

Experiments are described with a purified RNA-dependent-RNA-polymerase (replicase) induced in E. coli by the RNA bacteriophage QB. The data demonstrate that the enzyme can generate identical copies of added viral RNA. A serial dilution experiment established that the newly synthesized RNA is fully as competent as the original viral RNA to program the synthesis of viral particles and to serve as templates for the generation of more copies. Since the data show that the enzyme is, in fact, generating replicas, an unambiguous analysis of the RNA replicating mechanism is now possible in a simple system consisting of purified replicase, template RNA, ribosidetriphosphates, and Mg++.