Localization of adenovirus 2 messenger RNA's to segments of the viral genome defined by endonuclease R-R1.

Adenovirus 2 mRNAs synthesized in productive infection were assigned to specific regions of the genome by hybridization to unique fragments of viral DNA. Radioactive viral RNA synthesized early or late in infection was first fractionated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Eluted RNAs were then tested for complementary hybrid formation with each of the six fragments of adenovirus 2 DNA generated by cleavage with endonuclease R.R1. Early RNA species migrating as 13S, 19S, and 20S RNAs were identified as transcription products of fragments A, B, and D, respectively. In addition to the 13S RNA transcribed from A fragment DNA, 13S RNA also hybridized to the D and E fragment DNAs; 11S RNA annealed to both A and B fragments. The RNA that hybridized to fragment C DNA was heterogeneous in size. Viral RNA synthesized late in infection included 27S, 24S, 19S, and 11S size classes, all of which annealed to A fragment DNA. Additional RNA migrating as 24S hybridized to E and C fragment DNA, and 23S RNA annealed to F fragment DNA. The results of the hybridizations of size fractionated RNAs with viral DNA fragments enabled formation of a partial map of viral mRNAs with respect to the adenovirus 2 genome. Some of the viral RNAs may represent transcripts which overlap R1 cleavage sites, because in at least three instances hybridization revealed viral RNAs which have the same electrophoretic mobility and anneal to fragments that are contiguous on the genome.