The activation of RNA polymerase by alkylammonium ions.

Tetramethylammonium and tetraethylammonium ions both lower the melting temperature of DNA. We have shown that these ions increase the activity of E. Coli RNA polymerase. When the base composition of the DNA template was varied, there was a correlation between the decrease in melting temperature and increase in RNA polymerase activity. No stimulation was observed when heat denatured DNA was used as template. It was shown that initiation of RNA synthesis was stimulated but to a smaller degree than was total RNA synthesis. The lag observed at low temperatures before RNA synthesis commences was found to be shorter in the presence of these alkyl ammonium ions. All these results are consistent with an unwinding of the double helix being an important step in transcription.