Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on reverse transcriptase activity

RESUMO

Atlow concentrations, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), stimulated the avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase activity. About 40 percent stimulation was obtained in the presence of 5 percent (v/v) DMSO, using activated DNA and polyriboadenylic acid (poly(rA)) as templates, and Mg2+ as divalent cation. A similar stimulation by DMSO was observed with Mn2+ for the poly(rA)-dependent reverse transcriptase activity. DMSO at concentrations higher than 15 percent inhibited the reverse transcriptase reactions, independent of the template-primers used. An exception was detected with the 2'-fluoro analog of poly(rA) as template, where an activation of 100 percent was found in the presence of 20 percent DMSO. The stimulation caused by DMSO could be due to a reduction of the apparent Km value for poly(rA) from 9.1 to 3.3 µg/ml