Rna syntheses in BHK21 cells infected by rabies virus

Abstract

In BHK21 cells infected by rabies virus, viral RNA syntheses are detectable from the first 4 hours till at least 20h after the adsorption period. Cellular RNA syntheses are not inhibited by the virus. The viral RNA syntheses are 10 times lower than syntheses induced in infected cells by VSV. They are also slower since the maximum is between 8 and 12h after infection. At least 3 categories of molecules are synthesized: 1) short (+) molecules sedimenting between 8 and 25 S, and possibly at 30 S; 2) partially or totally double-stranded structures sedimenting between 25 and 35 S; 3) (+) and (--) molecules of the genome length. The relative amount of these 3 categories of molecules does not seem to vary during the viral cycle.