The composition and structure of the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV)-specific RNA in actinomycin D-treated, infected L-2 cells were studied. SEven virus-specific RNA species with molecular weights of 0.6 X 10(6), 0.9 X 10(6), 1.2 X 10(6), 1.5 X 10(6), 3.0 X 10(6), 4.0 X 10(6), and 5.4 X 10(6) (equivalent to the viral genome) were detected. T1 oligonucleotide fingerprinting studies suggested that the sequences of each RNA species were totally included within the next large RNa species. The oligonucleotides of each RNA species were mapped on the 60S RNA genome of the virus. Each RNA species contained the oligonucleotides starting from the 3' end of the genome and extending continuously for various lengths in the 3' leads to 5' direction. All of the viral RNA species contained a polyadenylate stretch of 100 to 130 nucleotides and probably identical sequences immediately next to the polyadenylate. These data suggested that the virus-specific RNAs are mRNA's and have a stairlike structure similar to that of infectious bronchitis virus, an avian coronavirus. A proposal is presented, based on the mRNA structure, for the designation of the genes on the MHV genome. Using this proposal, the sequence differences between A59, a weakly pathogenic strain, and MHV-3, a strongly hepatotropic strain, were localized primarily in mRNA's 1 and 3, corresponding t genes A and C.

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