Characterization of Nucleic Acid of Pichinde Virus

Abstract

The nucleic acid of Pichinde virus was found to be single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) as determined by sensitivity to ribonuclease, by alkaline degradation, by buoyant density in cesium sulfate, and by analysis of the base composition. The RNA of the virion could be separated into five components which had sedimentation coefficients corresponding to 31 S , 28 S , 22 S , 18 S and 4 to 6 S. The 28 S , 18 S , and possibly the 4 to 6 S RNAs appear to be derived from host cell components incorporated into the virion, whereas the 31 S and 22 S components appear to represent the genome of the virus.