Synthesis of the virus-specific proteins of a conditionally lethal mutant of poliovirus under nonpermissive conditions

Abstract

The function of the parental RNA of a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of poliovirus was studied. None of the methods of investigation used under nonpermissive conditions of the experiments could demonstrate synthesis of viral RNA or functionally active RNA polymerase. Inhibition of synthesis of cellular macromolecules (RNA, DNA, and proteins) due to the function of the virus genome was observed under nonpermissive conditions as well as the synthesis of structures with sedimentation constants of 10 S and 5 S which reacted with specific antiviral serum. It is suggested that synthesis of these structures and of proteins inhibiting synthesis of cellular macromolecules occurs under the direction of parental poliovirus RNA.