Similar conformers in the minus strands of divergent positive strand RNA phage.

Minus strand RNAs of phages MS2 and Q beta, prepared by in vitro transcription, were each separated into two forms on nondenaturing agarose gels. Only a single form of RNA was observed for minus strands denatured with glyoxal prior to agarose analysis, demonstrating that the two forms were conformers in each case. Truncated and elongated versions of these RNAs, analyzed under nondenaturing conditions, demonstrated that a region of RNA complementary to the A protein gene was at least partially responsible for the presence of these conformers in both MS2 and Q beta minus strands.