Paths of phosphate transfer in normal chick embryo cells and in cells infected with vesicular stomatitis virus.

Abstract

SUMMARY: The paths of phosphate transfer were compared in normal and vesicular stomatitis virus-infected chick embryo cell monolayers during one-step virus growth. Phosphate entered the normal cell via an inorganic pool in reversible equilibrium with external phosphate, and passed to large-molecule phosphate from this pool or from organic acid-soluble phosphate. During the latent and exponential release periods of virus infection there was no detectable slowing or stimulation of the rate of gain of 32P by acid-soluble inorganic and organic phosphates (AI and AO), lipid phosphate (LP), ribonucleic acid (RNA) and other phosphate fractions until uptake ceased in nearly all fractions about half-way through exponential release. Negligible P or 32P entered or left deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in normal or infected cells in this system. Before and during exponential release there was no detectable lysis of nuclei, mitochondria or microsomes (examined after isolation), and no detectable loss of 32P from AI, AO, LP, RNA or DNA, except for a late 30-50 % decrease in the 32P of the sucrose-soluble RNA of disrupted cells. This could be a secondary effect (i.e. onset of cell death) rather than an essential stage of virus growth. Gross lysis was evident in all fractions 20 hr. after infection, with the exception of the acid-soluble inorganic fraction not in reversible equilibrium with the medium.