Purification and molecular weight determination of measles virus genomic RNA

A purification procedure for genomic measles virus RNA, free of contaminating smaller RNA and of DNA, is described. Viral nucleocapsids were prepared from MA160 cells infected in spinner cultures with measles virus (Edmonston strain). Nucleic acid was extracted, treated with DNase and RNA sedimenting at about 50S in sucrose gradients was isolated. This method yielded 0.5 to 1.5 micrograms of genomic RNA per litre of culture. A molecular weight of 4.5 X 10(6) was determined by gel electrophoresis under fully denaturing conditions.