Abstract
Alkaline hydrolysis of RNA from the RNA phages Q[beta]and R23 yielded a compound identified as guanosine 5[image]-tri, 2[image],3[image]-monophosphate (pppGp). It was present in a 1:1 molar ratio with RNA labeled either with H3-guanine or p32 and was detected in experiments with bases specifically labeled only with H3-guanine. The electrophoretic mobility of the compound was identical to that of authentic p32ppGp both at pH 3.5 and 4.0. The degradation products guanosine and guanosine 3[image],5[image]-diphosphate plus guanosine 5[image]-monophosphate were obtained after treatment with alkaline phosphatase or after mild acid hydrolysis at pH 4.0, respectively.