Double-stranded ribonucleic acid from carnation cryptic virus.

The nucleic acid of carnation cryptic virus has been identified as double-stranded RNA on the basis of (i) susceptibility to RNase in 0.1 x SSC (SSC = 0.15 M NaCl-0.015 M sodium citrate buffer, pH 7.0) and resistance to RNase in 2 x SSC and to DNase, (ii) reaction with an antiserum containing antibodies to dsRNA, and (iii) electron microscopic appearance in nondenaturing media similar to that of the dsRNA of maize rough dwarf virus. Upon electrophoresis in 5% polyacrylamide gels carnation cryptic virus RNA separated into three major segments plus a fourth minor component, and had a total molecular weight of about 4 x 10(6).