The low molecular weight of RNAs of adenovirus 2-infected cells

Abstract

The cytoplasm of HeLa cells infected with adenovirus type 2 contains many species of low molecular weight RNA, including several of viral origin. In addition to a 9 S messenger RNA, the viral genome gives rise to two species of virus-associated RNA: the major species is 5.5 S RNA or virus-associated RNA I, and the minor species is 5.2 S RNA or virus-associated RNA II. Virus-associated RNA I occurs in the cytoplasm in several electrophoretically separable forms, and its sequences are also present in high molecular weight nuclear RNA but not in cytoplasmic mRNA. The structure of virus-associated RNA II is shown to be distinct from that of the major species, and the position of its gene is mapped on the viral genome. The two virus-associated RNA genes are located on the r strand near position 30 of the adenovirus type 2 physical map, and are separated by a spacer of about 75 base-pairs.