Differential inhibition of the in vivo synthesis of adenovirus type 5-specific ribonucleic acids by cordycepin

Abstract

Adenovirus type 5-specific RNA's, isolated late after infection of KB cells, were studied for their sensitivity toward cordycepin, an adenosine analog. Labeling of viral-associated (VA) small molecular weight RNA is shown to be strongly decreased by cordycepin and is as sensitive to this drug as the labeling of cellular transfer RNA. On the contrary, cordycepin exerts a less marked effect on the synthesis of viral heterogeneous nuclear (Hn) RNA. This differential inhibition of the synthesis of viral RNA's provides additional evidence for the involvement of two different RNA-polymerase activities in the in vivo transcription of the adenovirus genome.