Synthesis in vivo of influenza virus plus and minus strand RNA and its preferential inhibition by antibiotics

Abstract

The time course of viral RNA synthesis in influenza-infected cells has been followed by hybridizing the pulse-labeled RNA with a surplus of either unlabeled viral plus or minus strand RNA. Synthesis of viral minus strand RNA precedes that of plus strand RNA. At no time of the infection cycle is double-strand viral RNA present in any but negligible amounts. Actinomycin preferentially inhibits the synthesis of viral minus-strand RNA, while Actidione preferentially interferes with the production of viral plus strand in vivo.