[Isolation of a biologically active poly(A)+RNA from tissues enriched with polysaccharides]

A special technique is developed for isolation of biologically functional poly(A)+RNA from higher plant cells to start with some procedures used to isolate RNA of the eucaryote cells. The technique includes cell disruption with a 4 M guanidine thiocyanate solution, hot phenol extraction of RNA following proteinase K digestion and methoxyethanol treatment to remove polysaccharides. Finally, poly(A)+RNA was purified by oligo(dT)-cellulose chromatography. Using this technique poly(A)+RNA preparations were obtained from French bean embryo axis, maize and sugar beet seedings, potato tubers and seedlings. It is shown that poly(A)+RNA isolated from the plant cells directs protein synthesis in the cell-free system. This RNA may be also used as a matrix for synthesis of cDNA in the reverse transcription reaction.