Sequence of 1060 3'-terminal nucleotides of poliovirus RNA as determined by a modification of the dideoxynucleotide method.

The dideoxynucleotide method for sequencing DNA developed by Sanger et al. Sanger, F., Nicklen, S. & Coulson, A. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74, 5463-5467 was modified to allow sequence analysis of poliovirus RNA without recourse to cloning. Our method involves reverse transcription of poliovirus RNA followed by cDNA-dependent DNA synthesis in the presence of unlabeled dNTPs and 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside triphosphates, with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (Klenow) used to catalyze the reaction. DNA synthesis is primed by 5'-32P-labeled RNase T1- or RNase A-resistant oligonucleotides generated from poliovirus RNA. The sequence of 1060 nucleotides preceding the 3'-terminal poly(A) is presented. Based on the position of termination codons we propose that viral translation terminates at nucleotide -562.