Utilization of ribonucleic acid and deoxyoligomer primers for polyadenylic acid synthesis by adenosine triphosphate: polynucleotidylexotransferase from maize.

The ATP:polynucleotidylexotransferase isolated and purified from maize seedlings catalyzes the synthesis of polyadenylic acid by the sequential addition of 80 to 200 AMP moieties from ATP to the 3'-hydroxyl terminus of either ribo- or deoxyoligomers. Copurification of the RNA and DNA-primed activities, identical metal cofactor and reaction requirements for either primer and identical heat inactivation curves with either primer strongly suggest that both primers are utilized by the same enzyme.