Base Composition and Hybridization Studies of the Three Double-Stranded RNA Segments of Bacteriophage φ6

Authors

James L. Van Etten, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
A. K. Vidaver, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
R. K. Koski, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
J. P. Burnett, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Date of this Version

6-1-1974

Comments

Published in JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, June, 1974, p. 1254-1262, Vol. 13, No. 6. Copyright 1974 American Society for Microbiology. Used by permission.

Abstract

The three double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) segments of the bacteriophage φ6 were isolated and shown to have similar melting temperatures and base compositions. RNA: RNA hybridization experiments with the isolated segments eliminate the possibility that the two smaller dsRNA segments arise from a cleavage of the large dsRNA segment. The two smaller RNA segments reanneal rapidly even at low temperatures; in contrast, the large dsRNA reannealed only at higher temperatures. Evidence is also presented which suggests that the dsRNAs may contain a short single-stranded RNA tail.