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Molecular weight determination of the two segments of double-stranded RNA of infectious bursal disease virus, a member of the birnavirus group

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Abstract

The molecular weights (mol. wts.) of the two double-stranded (ds) RNA segments of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) were determined using previously sequenced reovirus genes M3 and S2 as internal ds RNA reference molecules. Electrophoresis under fully denaturing conditions revealed mol. wts. of 2.26 × 106 daltons and 1.98 × 106 daltons. By direct length measurements under the electron microscope, using two different spreading conditions, the two segments were calculated to be composed of 3274 ± 79 base pairs (bp) and 2821 ± 59 bp or 3299 ± 68 bp and 2830 ± 73 bp, resulting in mol. wts. of 2.24– 2.26 × 106 daltons and 1.93–1.94 × 106 daltons, respectively. Base pair distances of 2.67 ± 0.08 Å and 2.71 ± 0.11 Å in ds RNA were close to those of the A-RNA form; in ds DNA included as a control, the rise per base pair was 3.18 Å, which is consistent with published results. Mol. wts. obtained for IBDV indicate that the RNAs of the other birnaviruses are also smaller than reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Virologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Frankfurter Strosse 107, D-6300, Giessen, Germany

    H. Müller

  2. Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Bundesamt für Sera und Impfstoffe, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 42-44, D-6000, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    R. Nitschke

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  1. H. Müller
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  2. R. Nitschke
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Müller, H., Nitschke, R. Molecular weight determination of the two segments of double-stranded RNA of infectious bursal disease virus, a member of the birnavirus group. Med Microbiol Immunol 176, 113–121 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00200683

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00200683

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