Hydrophobic interaction of ribosomal ribonucleic acids on a nitrocellulose column

The non-covalent attachment of polynucleotides to polysaccharide matrices has been extensively used in quantitative biology, starting with the DNA-agar techqnique. Thus, nitroceulluose can effect an interaction with single stranded DNA, poly(A)+mRNAs and poly(A). However, these is little information on the retention of rRNA subunits on a nitrocellulose column. The authors have recently described conditions resulting in selective retention of the larger (28S) rat liver rRNA on a nitrocellulose column. The main purpose of this communication is to compare nitrocellulose with other polysaccharide matrices used previously for selective or less selective retention of individual rRNA species (Sepharoses, agaroses and agar). Rat liver rRNAs, pea seedling rRNAs and Escherichia coli rRNAs were used.