Sindbis Virus RNA Replication. II. Strand Composition and Metabolic Fate of the Multi-stranded RNA Species

Double-stranded RNA from SB virus-infected cells was denatured and analysed on agarose-methylmercuric hydroxide gels. Equimolar amounts of three single-stranded species with mol. wt. of 4 x 10⁶, 2.5 x 10⁶ and 1.8 x 10⁶ were found. Pulse and chase experiments in infected cells established a precursor-product relationship between the multi-stranded and single-stranded virus RNA species. The present results support the model in which the 49S and 26S species of virus RNA are synthesized in infected cells from two distinct replicating structures.

^* Present address: Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism and Digestive Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205, U.S.A.