Action of nucleases on double-stranded RNA.

Double-stranded RNAs from Penicillium chrysogenum virus have been treated with RNAse III, pancreatic RNAse A and RNAse T1 and the degradation of the RNAs has been studied under different conditions. It was found that only the two former enzymes cut across both strands, RNase T1 cannot cleave double strands. RNase III was shown to digest double-stranded RNA by a two step process: an initial phase of specific cleavage is followed by random degradation. In the first phase the enzyme exhibited a definite preference for some specific base pattern. Partial or complete degradation with pancreatic RNase A could also be achieved in media with high salt concentration provided that the enzyme: substrate ratio was increased together with the salt concentration. By combining different assay techniques, the process of degradation was followed from the early stages to complete digestion and the breakdown products were characterised. It is suggested that a structural change in the enzyme molecules enables them to act on double-stranded RNA. RNAse T1, being unable to cleave double strands, provides a useful tool for studying the secondary structure of RNA molecules. Treatment with different nucleases yielded some new information on the structure of different RNA species in Penicillium stoloniferum virus.