Nucleotide sequence of the self-priming 3' terminus of the single-stranded DNA extracted from the parvovirus Kilham rat virus.

The parvovirus genome is a linear, single-stranded DNA molecule with double-stranded hairpin termini. The 3' terminus can serve in vitro as a self-primer for the synthesis of a double-stranded viral DNA intermediate. We have sequenced the nucleotides in the 3' terminus and propose a model for the secondary structure of the terminus and the in vitro origin of replication for the complementary viral DNA strand.