The 5' end generated in the in vitro self-cleavage reaction of avocado sunblotch viroid RNAs is present in naturally occurring linear viroid molecules.

The 5' termini of linear forms of avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd) isolated from infected tissue have been determined by primer extension analyses. According to the different termini identified, four main populations of linear viroid molecules were found. One of them had the same 5' end as the one produced in the in vitro self-cleavage reaction of ASBVd dimeric transcripts mediated by a hammerhead structure, suggesting a possible involvement of this in vitro reaction in the in vivo replication mechanism of ASBVd.