Analysis of simian virus 40 DNA with the restriction enzyme of Haemophilus aegyptius, endonuclease Z.

Limited digestion of simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA from both small- and large- plaque strains with the restriction endonuclease Z from Haemophilus aegyptius yielded 10 specific fragments. The number of nucleotide pairs for each fragment, determined by co-electrophoresis with phiX174 RF fragments produced by endonuclease Z, ranges from 2,050 to 80. The difference in the pattern between the large- and small-plaque strains is the disappearance of one fragment containing approximately 255 nucleotide pairs and the appearance of a new fragment with 145 nucleotide pairs. This finding can be explained either by deletions or insertions totaling 110 nucleotide pairs. Complementary RNA synthesized in vitro from the adeno-SV40 hybrid virus, strain ND-1, hybridized preferentially to four of the fragments of SV40 DNA.