Pulse-polarographic analysis of double-stranded RNA

Abstract

The reducibility of double-stranded (ds) RNA of phage f2 and its thermally denatured form was studied by the derivative (differential) pulse polarography. It was shown that the denatured RNA produced at neutral and acidic pH values a peak at negative potentials. A peak of dsRNA was much smaller and appeared at more positive potentials. The polarographic behaviour of dsRNA basically agreed with that of DNA; the peaks of dsRNA and its denatured form were however better separated. The lowest amount of the denatured RNA necessay for the determination was about 50 ng. A good sensitivity of pulse polarography for changes in RNA conformation, including damages of the RNA double helix caused by initial attack of an enzyme, low doses of ionizing radiation, etc., was demonstrated. The method was used for testing dsRNA samples prepared for biological experiments; a correlation between the polarographic behaviour of the RNA samples and their antiviral and interferon-inducing activities was found.