Viroids proper can be distinguished from hammerhead viroids and satellite RNAs through their dinucleotide composition.
G + C-rich viroids proper exhibit a unique dinucleotide composition in that AU and UA are much less frequent than expected. Thus, evaluation of the dinucleotide pattern allows a quick discrimination between viroids proper and similar RNAs from plants, such as hammerhead-containing viroids, satellite RNAs, and defective interfering RNAs. In addition to sequence alignment, this method might be useful for the classification of a newly found small RNA replicon.
Gast
F U
FU
Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Abteilung Viroidforschung, Martinsried, Federal Republic of Germany.
Spieker
R L
RL
D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D003596:Cytosine; D015226:Dinucleoside Phosphates; D006147:Guanine; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D019244:RNA, Satellite / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D014772:Viroids / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics
D015226:Dinucleoside Phosphates; D019244:RNA, Satellite; D006147:Guanine; D003596:Cytosine