Abstract
The endogenous RNA component of the purified poliovirus replication complex was characterized in the electron microscope after cytochrome spreading. This RNA species has a double-stranded RNA core equal in length to poliovirus replicative form RNA, with 0 to 6 single-stranded tails per molecule. DNase I, RNase, and base treatment confirmed the double-stranded RNA nature of these molecules, which are not observed in extracts from uninfected or infected, guanidine-inhibited cells. Electron microscope autoradiography verified that these double-stranded RNA structures are the site of in vitro and in vivo viral RNA synthesis. After RNA synthesis in vitro, the double-stranded core is unchanged, but the number of tails decreases and the branch points are localized towards the ends of molecules. These results demonstrate that the RNA component of the active purified replication complex is analogous to replicative intermediate RNA and favor the double-stranded model for the in vivo poliovirus replication complex.
Published Version
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