The DNA of a minute virus of mice

Summary The base composition of DNA from a minute virus of mice was determined by hydrolysis of 32P-labelled DNA to give 3′ and 5′ nucleotides. The analyses were consistent only with a single-stranded structure for the virus DNA. This was confirmed by the results of nearest neighbour base sequence analyses. Comparison of minute virus of mice with phage φX 174 and adeno-associated virus type 1 showed a close similarity of minute virus of mice and φX 174 and suggested that all three small DNA virus particles contain not more than 1.7 × 106 daltons of DNA.