The bipartite genome of red clover necrotic mosaic virus

Purified preparations of red clover necrotic mosaic virus isolated in Australia have been shown to contain three RNA components whose electrophoretic mobilities in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicate molecular weights of 1.5 x 106 (RNA 1), 0.5 x 10(6) (RNA 2), and 0.14 x 10(6) (RNA 3). Comparisons of the RNAs by hybridization analysis with 3H-labeled complementary DNAs synthesized in vitro have established that RNAs 1 and 2 are unique RNA molecular species with little or no sequence homology between them. However, RNA 3 appears to be a complex mixture of breakdown fragments of both RNA 1 and RNA 2. Infectivity experiments with highly purified preparations of RNAs 1 and 2 have demonstrated that both molecules are essential for infectivity.