The effect of herpes virus infection on mRNA in polyoma virus-transformed cells

Abstract

Polyoma-transformed BHK cells are permissive for herpes simplex virus. Transcripts from the polyoma genome in these cells have been well characterized and provide an example of a specific class of mRNA. The effect of herpes simplex type I infection on the synthesis and amount of polyoma-specific RNA was investigated by hybridization to polyoma DNA. Hybridization of unlabeled cytoplasmic RNA to radioactive E-strand polyoma DNA (that is, the DNA strand complementary to RNA present in polyoma-infected cells prior to viral DNA synthesis) demonstrated that by 5 hr after infection with herpes virus the amount of polyoma-specific RNA was 20% of that found in uninfected controls. Hybridization of radioactive RNA to polyoma DNA immobilized on filters indicated that after herpes infection, the synthesis of polyoma-specific RNA rapidly declined. The reduced synthesis of this specific class of mRNA could account for the drop in cytoplasmic levels.