DOUBLE-STRANDED-RNA FROM MITOCHONDRIAL EXTRACT OF PENICILLIUM-CHRYSOGENUM

Double stranded ribonucleic acids [ds RNA] of virus like particles [VLP] were isolated from mitochondria of Penicillium chrysogenum. The ds RNA was characterized and analyzed by agarose electrophoresis and nuclease treatments [RNase and DNase]. The presence of three ds RNA segments was proved in highly purified mitochondrial and cytop asmic fractions. Hybridization of separated ds RNA segments showed some homology among the different segments, but no sequence homology was indicated between ds RNA and mitochondrial DNA. According to our results we suppose the VLP are permanently present in mitochondria of Penicillium chrysogenum.