Two regions of the adenovirus 2 genome specify families of late polysomal RNAs containing common sequences.

Late cytoplasmic RNAs specified by two regions of the adenovirus 2 genome (39.3--51.8 and 70.7--83.4 map units) were analyzed by size fractionation of poly(A)-[3H]RNA and subsequent hybridization to DNA fragments. Both regions encode RNAs whose sequence content exceeds the coding capacity of the region. These multiple transcripts are likely to function as mRNAs, because they are present on polyribosomes. The DNA segment 39.3--51.8 specifies 27S, 22S, and 18S RNAs. The genome sites specifying these three size classes were determined by hybridizations with seven different DNA fragments from this region of the genome. The 3' termini of all three size classes are specified by sequences near a common site, position 50.1. The 27S RNA includes sequences beginning near 39.3, the 22S RNA contains sequences from 41.0, and the 18S RNA includes sequences from approximately 45.3 on the unit genome. A second family of four RNAs is transcribed from 70.7--83.4. These 28S, 22S, 18S, and 16S RNAs have a relationship similar to the RNAs transcribed from 39.3--51.8. Sequences near the 5' ends of these four size classes are specified by different genome sites. However, the 3' termini of all four size classes were localized near map position 80.4. The synthesis of families of RNA may allow the translation of multiple polypeptides from a genome segment that has only one terminator site for mRNA synthesis.