Transcription of a bacteriophage DNA by mammalian RNA polymerase

Abstract

T even bacteriophage DNA is a relatively inefficient template for mammalian RNA polymerase and transcription is not stimulated by bacterial sigma factor. The RNA that is transcribed corresponds primarily to that synthesized early after bacteriophage infection although some RNA corresponding to that synthesized late after infection and some anti-messenger are transcribed. The data suggest that the enzyme preferentially recognizes initiation sites for early RNA.