Further characterization of a ribonucleotide-polymerizing enzyme from Histoplasma capsulatum. II. Possible role in cellular metabolism

An enzyme, ribonucleotide polymerase, isolated from the yeast phase of a fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum has been found to stimulate the incorporation of dTMP in the reaction catalysed by DNA polymerase from H. capsulatum and E. coli. The stimulation is dependent on the amount of ribonucleotide polymerase added. The data indicate that protein-protein interaction is responsible for the increase in DNA synthesis. It is suggested that ribonucleotide polymerase may be involved in supplying short RNA primers for DNA polymerase.