Genes for VA-RNA in adenovirus 2.

VA-RNA from adenovirus 2 (Ad2) infected cells is shown to consist of two species. The gene coding for the major species maps at position 30 on the viral DNA, where it spans a site cleaved by the restriction enzyme Bam Hl. The minor species, constituting a few percent of the total VA-RNA, is distantly related in oligonucleotide composition to the major species. Its template maps within 700 base pairs to the right of the gene for the major species. The direction of transcription is from left to right on the conventional Ad2 map. These results, gained with a novel method for blotting (E. M. Southern, manuscript in preparation), have also led to the identification of the Bam Hl recognition sequence.