Identification of plant viral nucleic acids utilizing selected area electron diffraction

Abstract

A technique has been developed in this laboratory using selected area electron diffraction, which enables the discrimination of viral nucleic acids. Discrimination is based upon differences in the interatomic spacings of the nucleic acid molecules. A comparison of several nucleic acids and synthetic polynucleotides indicates that some spacings will be shared by two or more different molecules. There are, however, interatomic spacings for each specimen which differ from those of other nucleic acid sources and appear to be characteristic of a given nucleic acid or polynucleotide. This technique would permit comparison of plant viral nucleic acids as well as nucleic acids in intact plant viruses. Intact viruses could be studied without having to chemically remove the protein coat in order to obtain the nucleic acid in cure form.