Analysis of Viral and Defective-Interfering Nucleocapsids in Acute and Persistent Infection by Rhabdoviruses

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The RNA of intracellular virus nucleocapsids recovered from a number of cell cultures persistently infected with rabies virus or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was isolated and characterized. VSV persistent infections in hamster kidney BHK21, mouse L cells and Aedes albopictus (mosquito) cells generally showed the presence of large amounts of defective-interfering (DI) nucleocapsid RNA and much smaller amounts of standard (B) nucleocapsid RNA. Persistent infections of BHK21 cells by 2 rabies virus strains, challenge virus standard (CVS-11) or HEP-Flury, were followed for several months during which time the ratio of DI to B nucleocapsid RNA cycled dramatically. Coordinated fluctuations in the absolute amount of incorporation of [3H]uridine into virus nucleocapsid RNA was also observed. Total incorporation was generally highest following a decrease in the relative amount of DI nucleocapsid RNA synthesis. At no time were DI nucleocapsids absent in any of the persistently infected cultures.