INTERFERON, DOUBLE-STRANDED-RNA AND RNA DEGRADATION - FRACTIONATION OF ENDONUCLEASE INT SYSTEM INTO 2 MACROMOLECULAR COMPONENTS - ROLE OF A SMALL MOLECULE IN NUCLEASE ACTIVATION

We reported earlier that a) the incubation of an extract from interferon-treated Ehrlich ascites tumor cells with double-straded RNA and ATP results in the activation of an endonuclease and b) after the activation the double-stranded RNA and ATP can be degraded without impairing the activity of the endonuclease. We report now the separation and partial purification of two macromolecular components (DE1INT and DE2INT) involved in the process. Upon incubation with double-stranded RNA and ATP component DE1INT generates a heat-stable product of low molecular weight (designated as nuclease activator). On incubation with the nuclease activator a latent nuclease in component DE2INT is activated. © 1978.