Abstract
The 70S genomic RNA of nonleukemogenic AKR(Akv) virus was compared to that of an in vitro passaged, cloned, leukemogenic Gross A virus by fingerprint and sequence analysis. Fifty-seven of the large ribonuclease T1-resistant oligonucleotides of each virus have the same electrophoretic mobility and sequence. Thirteen large ribonuclease T1 oligo nucleotides are unique to the Gross A virus, whereas five are unique to Akv. Four of the oligonucleotides unique to each virus are related by one or two simple base changes. Five of the differences in oligonucleotides are located in the region of the genome that codes for the gag and pol genes. Eight of the differences are located near the 3' poly(A) terminus of the virus. The origins and biological consequences of these differences are discussed.