Comparison of molecular weights of single-stranded viral RNAs by two empirical methods

Abstract

The molecular weights of four well-characterized single-stranded viral RNAs (turnip yellow mosaic virus-RNA, bacteriophage MS2-RNA, and cucumber mosaic virus-RNA components B and A) were obtained by sedimentation velocity ultracentrifugation after reaction with formaldehyde. The logarithms of their molecular weights were linearly related to the electrophoretic migration distances of the non-formylated RNAs in 2.4% polyacrylamide gels. This relationship was used to estimate the molecular weights of the RNAs from tobacco ringspot virus, southern bean mosaic virus, carnation mottle virus, tobacco necrosis virus, and brome mosaic virus by electrophoresis, and to compare them with the values obtained by means of formylation and sedimentation velocity analysis. © 1973.