AN RNA FRACTION FROM MYELOBLASTOSIS VIRUS HAVING PROPERTIES SIMILAR TO TRANSFER RNA

RNA from avian myeloblastosis virus can be resolved into two major fractions. The low-molecular-weight RNA fraction amounts to about 20% of the viral RNA. A little less than half of the RNA in this fraction appears to be tRNA. RNA from the virus will attach amino acids and transfer the amino acids to peptide chains under the conditions in vitro established for cellular tRNA. A portion of the low-molecular-weight RNA fraction from the virus chromatographs similar to tRNA on methylated albumin-kieselguhr columns and DEAE columns. The distribution of the different types of tRNA from the virus appears to be different from that found in the infected cell. These results suggest that functional tRNA is part of the virus particle. © 1969.