Terminal sequences of the bacteriophage phi 6 segmented dsRNA genome and its messenger RNAs.

The ends of the three dsRNA genome segments (L, M, and S) of bacteriophage phi 6 (strand separated and/or intact) and the 5' ends of the middle and small single-strand messenger RNAs have been sequenced by base-specific partial enzymatic digestion. Terminal sequences for the large and middle dsRNA strands extend about 60 bases. The three dsRNA segments have 18 homologous bases at the left end except for position 2, which differs in the L segment. A 17-base homology defines the right ends of L and M dsRNAs and probably S dsRNA as well. The 5' ends of middle and small messenger RNAs are identical to the corresponding viral (+) strands.