| Abstract: | Both 3'- and 5'-terminal structures of human rotavirus genome double-stranded RNA segments were determined. RNAs were labeled at the 3'-termini with 32P]pCp by incubation with RNA ligase and at the 5'-termini with 32P]phosphate by polynucleotide kinase or, in the case of 5' caps, with 3H by chemical modification with 3H]NaBH4. Examination of radiolabeled termini released by digestion with several base-specific RNases revealed that rotavirus RNA segments are base paired end-to-end and contain the same terminal structures: (formula; see text) |
