Dinucleotide Sequences at the 5′ Ends of Vaccinia Virus mRNA's Synthesized In Vitro

Abstract

The diversity of dinucleotide sequences at the 5′ ends of vaccinia virus mRNA's was determined by a two-dimensional electrophoresis procedure. RNA labeled with S -adenosyl[ methyl - 3 H]methionine was synthesized in vitro by enzymes present in vaccinia virus cores. The RNA, ending in m 7 G(5′)pppN m pN−, was β-eliminated and treated with alkaline phosphatase. After digestion with RNases T 2 , T 1 , and A, all eight possible dinucleotides containing G m and A m were identified. They are, in decreasing order of abundance: G m pUp (22%), A m pCp (18%), G m pAp (16%), G m pCp (15%), A m pAp (11%), A m pUp (10%), A m pGp (7%), and G m pGp (2%).