Three single-stranded RNA transcripts synthesized in vitro by a virion-associated RNA polymerase of bacteriophage Φ6 were sequenced at their 5′- and 3′-termini. The sequences agreed with those of the + strands of the 3 double-stranded RNA segments [FEBS Lett. (1982) 141,111–115]. The results show that the transcription by Φ6 RNA polymerase initiates exactly at the 3′-ends of the template RNAs (− strands of the genomic RNA) and terminates exactly at the 5′-ends.
