title: A microscale procedure for isolating and sequencing the viroid RNA present in one gram of infected leaf tissue.
abstract: A microscale procedure for the isolation and purification of viroid RNA from one gram of viroid-infected leaf tissue and for its subsequent sequencing at the cDNA level is described using potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV) as model system. Total nucleic acids are phenol-extracted and salt-fractionated with 2 M LiCl. The viroid-containing fraction is then subjected to bidirectional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This removes all co-fractionated cellular RNAs from the circular viroid RNA which is finally recovered from the gel in pure form by isotachophoresis. Thus, from one gram of PSTV-infected tomato leaf tissue, about 100-250 ng of circular PSTV RNA can be obtained and used as template for several DNA primer-directed reverse transcription reactions. From the primer-extended overlapping cDNAs the entire sequence of the viroid progeny synthesized in an individual plant or plant leaf can thus be established by Maxam-Gilbert sequencing. This renders the procedure especially suited for the routine analysis of the in vivo fate of viroid mutants constructed in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Planegg-Martinsried, F.R.G.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabler
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Sänger
mesh_terms: D001345:Autoradiography; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010944:Plants / Q000382:microbiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014772:Viroids / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral