Electrophoretic analysis of ribosomal and viral ribonucleic acids with a simple technique for slicing...

The electrophoretic mobilities of ribosomal ribonucleic acids (RNA) from cultured mammalian (HeLa, Vero, MDBK), avian (chick embryo), and bacterial (Escherichia coli) cells, and RNA species extracted from selected viruses (Sindbis, polio, tobacco mosaic, Sendai) were compared, employing a simple, inexpensive technique for slicing low-concentration polyacrylamide gels. The procedure provides for rapid fractionation of gels used for characterization of RNA, incorporating extrusion and serial sectioning of frozen gels. Among 28S ribosomal RNA species, Vero and MDBK were indistinguishable, whereas HeLA RNA had a slightly lower mobility (higher apparent molecular weight) and chick RNA had a higher mobility (lower apparent molecular weight). The 18S ribosomal RNA species of the three mammalian sources were indistinguishable, but chick 18S RNA had a slightly lower apparent molecular weight. The inverse relation between mobility and log-molecular weight among the ribosomal and viral RNA species, though not highly precise, demonstrates the applicability of the technique to the study of molecular weights of viral RNA species.