Isolation and Purification of Double-Stranded RNA Fragments from Retrovirus RNA

Genomic or high molecular weight RNA of retroviruses consisted of 2 to 5% double-stranded RNA. Fragmentation of genomic viral RNA by limited RNase T 1 treatment before cellulose CF-11 chromatography indicated that 3 to 5% of the viral RNA fragments were eluted as double-stranded RNA. This double-strandedness was in close agreement with the more representative 2 to 3% double-strandedness as determined by RNase T 2 resistance studies performed on genomic and subunit viral RNA. The double-stranded RNA of RNase T 2 treated retrovirus RNA was purified by cellulose CF-11 chromatography.