Studies on bacteriophage MS2. VIII. Evidence for dimer formation of MS2 RNA by reaction with formaldehyde at acidic pH

Reaction of 27 SMS2 RNA with formaldehyde normally results in an unfolded, 13.4 S form. At acidic pH, however, and under the proper ionic conditions, a compact component sedimenting at 36–40 S was obtained. The molecular weight of this species corresponds to a dinner. The formaldehyde concentration was not critical, and approximately the same number of base pairs had been opened in the compact and in the unfolded form. Presumably dimers, which had been specifically formed under defined conditions, were stabilized by formaldehyde-induced crosslinks. Similar dimers were formed by 16 S and by 23 S ribosomal RNA, but not by tRNA.