Abstract
Up to now, only limited information is available on the complete three-dimensional structure of high molecular weight RNA. What we do already know belongs mainly to the primary and secondary structure level. There is also some information about the structure of RNA within certain virus particles, but comparably less is known about the tertiary structure of free RNA molecules in solution. Light scattering and hydrodynamic investigations have however shown that at least some high molecular weight RNAs must have a fairly compact tertiary structure at not too low ionic strength. Among the best studied high molecular weight RNAs is the genome of the E. Coli phage MS2 [l-6]. A sample of this RNA was investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering at ionic strength 0.1. As a result of this study, we are now able to present for the first time detailed data on the overall shape and size of a high molecular weight RNA molecule in the free state*. The shape of MS2 RNA as derived from our scattering data appears to be a both flat and elongate coil of about 620 A diameter and a ratio of about
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