Interferon, double-stranded RNA, and RNA degradation: activation of an endonuclease by (2'-5')An.

Among the mediators of interferon action are one enzyme that is activated by double-stranded RNA to convert ATP to (2'-5')An and a second enzyme, an endonuclease, that is activated by (2'-5')An to cleave single-stranded RNA. The binding of (2'-5')An to the endonuclease (partially purified from mouse Ehrlich ascites tumor cells) is revealed by its retention on nitrocellulose filters. This can serve as the basis for an assay of the enzyme. Activation of the enzyme is reversible and is lost upon removal of (2'-5')An:gel filtration of activated endonuclease on Sephacryl S-200 results in an inactive enzyme. The enzyme can be activated again, however, by addition of (2'-5')An. The elution volume of the nonactivated endonuclease from Sephadex G-200 indicates that its molecular weight is 185,000, unusually large for a nuclease. The elution volume of the maximally activated endonuclease from Sephadex G-200 equilibrated with (2'-5')An is not detectably different from that of enzyme that had not been previously activated that was passed through Sephadex G-200 not equilibrated with (2'-5')An. This indicates that the activation does not result in a large change in the size or conformation of the enzyme.