SUMMARY: Five A strains and three B strains of influenza virus were purified and found to contain ribonucleic acid in amounts varying from 0·75 to 1·1 %. The proportion of the purine and pyrimidine derivatives in the nucleic acid of each strain was determined. When the ratio adenine + uracil : guanine + cytosine was evaluated, the following values were obtained: A strains —PR 8, 1·27 ± 0·02; MEL, 1·22 ± 0·01; WSE, 1·26 0±01; SWINE, 1·24 ± 0·04; CAM, 1·28 ± 0·01. B strains—LEE, 1·42 ± 0·04; MIL, 1·43 ± 0·05; ROB, 1·38 ± 0·01. The nucleic acid content of PR8 virus preparations of varying degrees of incompleteness was determined both by specific absorption at 260 mµ. and by estimation of phosphorus present in the nucleic acid extract. As measured by both methods, virus preparations of low infectivity were found to have a decreased nucleic acid content. The demonstration of specific differences in the nucleic acid of A and B strains and of the relationship between the infectivity and nucleic acid content of the virus affords strong evidence that the nucleic acid is an intrinsic part of the influenza virus particle.
BurnetF.M.,
AndersonS.G.1947; Sporadic and minor epidemic incidence of influenza A in Victoria, 1945–46. I. Phase behaviour of influenza A strains in relation to epidemic characteristics.. Aust. J. exp. Biol. med. Sci. 25:235
Fazekas De St GrothS.,
GrahamD.M.1954; The production of incomplete virus particles among influenza strains: experiments in eggs.. Brit. J. exp. Path. 35:60
FinterN.B.,
LiuO.C.,
HenleW.1955; Studies on host-virus interactions in the chick embryo-influenza virus system. 10. An experimental analysis of the von Magnus phenomenon.. J. exp. Med. 101:461
HorsfallF.L.1954; On the reproduction of influenza virus. Quantitative studies with procedures which enumerate infective and haemagglutinating virus particles.. J. exp. Med. 100:135
JeenerR.,
LemoineP.1953; Occurrence in plants infected with tobacco- mosaic virus of a crystallizable antigen devoid of ribonucleic acid.. Nature; Lond.: 171935
MarkhamR.,
SmithJ.D.1951; Chromatographic studies of nucleic acids. 4. The nucleic acid of the turnip yellow mosaic virus, including a note on the nucleic acid of the tomato bushy stunt virus.. Biochem. J. 49:401
SchmidtG.,
ThannhauserS.J.1945; A method for the detection of desoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and phospho-proteins in animal tissues.. J. biol. Chem. 161:83