FIGURE 2.

Effect of N on the 5′ end of vRNA. 5′ End-labeled S segment RNA or S segment RNA containing a 3′ deletion was treated with hantavirus N, HIV-1 Gag, or heat denatured and renatured and subsequently fractionated on sucrose gradients as in Figure 1 ▶. RNA from the gradient was then analyzed by RNase T1 digestion. A depicts RNase T1 digestion of S segment vRNA; B, RNase T1 digestion of S segment vRNA containing a 42-nt deletion at the 3′ terminus. (m) RNA sequence ladder generated by partial NaOH treatment, (−) no treatment of the RNA prior to sucrose gradient fractionation, (H) RNA that had been heat treated and renatured prior to sucrose gradient fractionation, (N) RNA treated with N before fractionation, (G) RNA treated with HIV-1 Gag prior to fractionation. RNA was derived from either sucrose gradient peak 1 or 2 (as in Fig. 1 ▶) as indicated. For both RNAs, thermal denaturation, treatment with N, or treatment with Gag yielded gradients with RNA present only in peak 2.