The RNA of human coronavirus OC-43

The Genome of Human Coronavirus Strain 229E

“…single single-stranded RNA species. Similar observations have been made with the coronaviruses: IBV (Watkins et aL 1975;Lomniczi, I977;Macnaughton & Madge, 1977;Schochetman et al I977), TGEV (Garwes et al I975) and HCV OC43 (Tannock & Hierholzer, 1977).…”

“…Tannock (I973) and Watkins et aL (I975), using IBV, and Tannock & Hierholzer (1977), using HCV OC43, have shown that coronavirus RNA extracted with phenol was very heterogeneous. Furthermore, Garwes et aL (1975) and Tannock & Hierholzer (1977) observed that heating TGEV and HCV OC43 RNAs, respectively, dissociated the RNA molecules and material of about 4S accumulated. However, Watkins et al (I975), Macnaughton & Madge (1977), Schochetman et aL (1977) and Lomniczi (1977) have observed no genome degradation on heating IBV RNA.…”

The genomes of three coronaviruses

“…This shows that the coronavirus genomes are not composed of multiple subunits and contain little, if any, double strandedness. Some reports suggest that heating or denaturation can produce an alteration in the size or migration of the RNAs [5,6,8] . This may be due to contamination of the RNAs by an activated retrovirus or the presence of an internal ribonuclease [4] or the nicking of the large RNAs during isolation.…”

“…wt varying from 6.1 X lo6 for strain OC43 [6] to 5.8 X IO6 for strain 2298 [7]. Again, as with IBV, the HCV genome is prone to degradation [6,7]. The genomes of two porcine coronaviruses, transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (HEV), have also been shown to be large single single-stranded RNA molecules of about 60 S that dissociate into 35 S and 4 S material on heating above 60°C [8] ~ Coronavirus genomes possess certain mRNA characteristics.…”

“…Similar studies on the human coronavirus (HCV) genome have also shown it to be a large molecule of mol. wt varying from 6.1 X lo6 for strain OC43 [6] to 5.8 X IO6 for strain 2298 [7]. Again, as with IBV, the HCV genome is prone to degradation [6,7].…”