Non-random base sequence of S-RNA and an hypothesis for S-RNA biosynthesis

Abstract

S-RNA has been hydrolysed by takadiastase T1 ribonuclease, which specifically cleaves the polynucleotide chain between 3′-guanylic acid and the adjacent nucleotide. The number of μmoles of …pGp(Gp)n…, …pGpApGp…, …pGpCpGp… and …pGpCpCpGp… per μmole of S-RNA chain has been determined by separation of the products of hydrolysis. It has been found that these experimental values considerably exceed the theoretical values which would be expected if the bases were arranged in a random sequence. Moreover, it has been concluded that non-randomness prevails throughout the base sequence of the average S-RNA molecule. The two implications of this finding are (1) that the average S-RNA molecule, and hence each individual amino acid specific S-RNA chain, has a completely denned base sequence, and (2) that S-RNA is replicated during synthesis by some very exact process which preserves this highly non-random structure. The hypothesis is proposed that S-RNA is synthesized by a template mechanism independent of DNA and that S-RNA itself provides its own template for biosynthesis.