Cross-links in African swine fever virus DNA

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
African swine fever virus DNA sediments in neutral sucrose density gradients as a single component with a sedimentation coefficient of 60S. In alkaline sucrose density gradients, this material shows 2 components with sedimentation coefficients of 85S and 95S, respectively. The sedimentation rate value of alkali-denatured virus DNA in neutral sucrose density gradients and the renaturation velocity of denatured DNA show that it reassociates much faster than expected from its genetic complexity. This behavior is compatible with the existence of interstrand cross-links in the molecule. Results are presented which suggest that there are only a few such cross-links per molecule, that they are sensitive to S1 nuclease digestion and that they are probably located next to the ends of the DNA.