The purification of polynucleotide phosphorylase from Thermus aquaticus by the use of heparin-sepharose 4B affinity chromatography.

The polynucleotide phosphorylase of Thermus aquaticus was purified using ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, heparin-Sepharose 4B and DEAE-Sephadex A25. The enzyme was purified 1500-fold and was 90-95% homogeneous as checked by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It has a molecular weight of 275 000 and consists of four identical subunits. The Km values for the enzyme as determined in polymerization (ADP, GDP, UDP) and phosphorolytic reactions (poly A, poly U) are in the same concentration range as in the case of the enzyme deriving from mesophilic microorganisms. Furthermore, the enzyme is primer dependent and its activity is lost gradually at temperatures higher than 65 degrees C. In the base ratio of the copolymers followed the input base ratio polymerization reactions with polyUA, while with polyAG and polyUG a marked difference between the initial base ratio and the base composition of copolymers was observed.