Production of antibodies to soluble RNA (sRNA).

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Abstract
RNA, like heat-denatured single-stranded DNA, functions as a hapten when injected into rabbits as a complex containing methylated bovine serum albumin (MBSA). Antiserum produced with MBSA-yeast-sRNA reacted with yeast sRNA, Escherichia coli sRNA, a highly purified preparation of yeast sRNA, soluble RNA''s from several rabbit tissues, synthetic polyuridylate, calf thymus DNA, Brucella DNA, and rabbit lung DNA. The broad range of cross-reactivity indicates that the antiserum is specific for purine- and pyrimidine-containing constituents of nucleic acids. More direct evidence was obtained through studies of the inhibition of C-fixation between antiserum and yeast sRNA. Monoribonucleotides inhibited more than monodeoxyribonucleotides or purine and pyrimidine bases, indicating that the D-ribose contributes to the specificity. Since none of the inhibitors tested gave 100% inhibition, it is likely that the specificity of the antiserum to yeast sRNA is for groups of ribonucleotides, probably in sequence.