Studies on the replication of influenza virus RNA

Influenza virus NS1 protein stimulates translation of the M1 protein

The influenza virus NS1 protein was shown to stimulate translation of the M1 protein. M-CAT RNA, which contains the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene and the terminal noncoding sequence of segment 7 (coding for the M1 and M2 proteins), was ribonucleoprotein transfected into clone 76 cells expressing the influenza virus RNA polymerase and NP proteins required for the transcription and replication of influenza virus ribonucleoproteins. When the cells were superinfected with a recombinant vaccinia virus which expresses the NS1 protein, CAT expression from the M-CAT RNA was significantly stimulated but transcription was not altered. The expression of NS-CAT RNA, which contains noncoding sequences of segment 8 (coding for the NS1 and NS2 proteins), was not altered by the NS1 protein. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the sequence GGUAGAUA upstream of the initiation codon on segment 7 was required for stimulation.

The immunosorbtion of influenza virus nucleocapsids from cell lysates as a technique for the studies on viral RNA synthesis

Radioimmunosorbtion of influenza virus nucleocapsids from lysates of the infected cells was applied for studies on virus-specific RNA synthesis. The method allowed the isolation of intact-labelled viral RNA segments. The procedure included preadsorbtion of antiviral antibodies on protein A containing sorbents. The protein A containing sorbent with attached antibodies was mixed with lysates of influenza virus-infected [3H]uridine-labelled cells. Viral nucleocapsids bound by the antibodies to the sorbent were used for RNA extraction. The isolated RNA was analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with subsequent autoradiography. The method allows the isolation of nondegraded labelled virus-specific RNA by means of a relatively simple procedure.

Virions and intracellular nucleocapsids produced during mixed heterotypic influenza infection of MDCK cells

Phenotypically mixed virus yields, obtained by coinfection of MDCK cells with influenza A/WSN/33 and B/Lee/40 viruses, contained both A/WSN/33 and B/Lee/40 NP proteins, as revealed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified 14C-amino acids-labeled virus. Virions were lysed with 0.6 M KCl-Triton X-100 buffer, and nucleocapsids were immunoprecipitated with antibodies against NP protein of influenza A virus. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the immunoprecipitate revealed NP protein of A/WSN/33 but not of B/Lee/40 virus. However, in similar experiments with the lysates of doubly infected cells, the band of B/Lee/40 NP protein was revealed in the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of the immunoprecipitates. In an attempt to analyze the RNA content of the immune complexes, we absorbed the lysates of doubly infected [3H]uridine-labeled cells with protein A-containing Staphylococcus aureus covered with antibodies against the NP protein of influenza A virus. RNA extracted from the immune complexes contained genomic RNA segments of both A/WSN/33 and B/Lee/40 viruses. In control samples containing an artificial mixture of cell lysates separately infected with each virus, the analysis revealed homologous components (i.e., A/WSN/33 NP protein or RNA segments) in the immune complexes. The results suggest the presence of phenotypically mixed nucleocapsids in the cells doubly infected with influenza A and B viruses; in the course of the virion formation, the nucleocapsids lacking the heterologous NP protein are selected.

Studies on polysomes synthesizing influenza virus haemagglutinin

A fraction of polysomes synthesizing fowl plague virus (FPV) haemagglutinin (HA) was isolated from an infected chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) culture using a double immunoprecipitation assay. In an immunoprecipitate of HA-synthesizing polysomes (HA precipitate) the content of the HA polypeptide was increased with respect to the M1 + NS1 polypeptides as compared to a preparation of unprecipitated polysomes. In the HA precipitate, besides mRNA coding for HA synthesis, we have detected mRNAs corresponding to genes 1, 2 and 3 coding for high molecular weight P proteins. Studies of a cytoplasmic extract (CE) from FPV-infected CEF cultures in a sucrose density gradient revealed a fraction of polysomes with a sedimentation value of about 500S; the composition of virus-specific polypeptides and mRNA of the fraction was similar to that of the HA precipitate. It is thought that P proteins are synthesized on membrane-bound polysomes located closely to HA-synthesizing polysomes.

Isolation and characterization of cytoplasmic inclusions from influenza A virus-infected cells

Influenza A viruses induce the accumulation of electron-dense inclusions in the cytoplasm of infected cells during the latter stages of the replication cycle. Cell fractionation studies showed that these inclusions could be recovered in subcellular fractions containing ribosomes and polysomes. Isolation of these inclusions was accomplished by procedures involving RNase treatment of these fractions followed by repurification, or by fluorocarbon extraction and gradient centrifugation. Electron microscopy indicated that the isolated inclusions exhibited a major periodicity of approximately 8 nm with minor periodicities of approximately 4 nm. Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the influenza virus coded nonstructural protein was the only protein component present in isolated inclusions.

Influenza virion transcriptase: synthesis in vitro of large, polyadenylic acid-containing complementary RNA

The influenza virion transcriptase is capable of synthesizing in vitro complementary RNA (cRNA) that is similar in several characteristics to the cRNA synthesized in the infected cell, which is the viral mRNA. Most of the in vitro cRNA is large (approximately 2.5 X 10(5) to 10(6) daltons), similar in size to in vivo cRNA. The in vitro transcripts initiate in adenosine (A) or guanosine (G) at the 5' end, as also appears to be the case with in vivo cRNA (R.M. Krug et al., 1976). The in vitro transcripts contain covalently linked polyadenylate [poly(A)] sequences, which are longer and more heterogeneous than the poly(A) sequences found on in vivo cRNA. The synthesis in vitro of cRNA with these characteristics requires both the proper divalent cation, Mg2+, and a specific dinulceside monophosphage (DNMP), ApG or GpG. These DNMPs stimulate cRNA synthesis about 100-fold in the presence of Mg2+ and act as primers to initiate RNA chains, as demonstrated by the fact that the 5'-phosphorylated derivatives of these DNMP's, 32pApG or 32pGpG, are incroporated at the 5' end of the product RNA. The RNA synthesized in vitro differs from in vivo cRNA in that neither capping nor methylation of the in vitro transcripts has been detected. The virion does contain a methylase activity, as shown by its ability to methylate exogenous methyl-deficient Escherichia coli tRNA.

Characterization of polysome-associated RNA from influenza virus-infected cells

Virus-specific polysome-associated RNA (psRNA) and RNA after dissociation of polysomes were analyzed by direct hybridization with unlabeled viral RNA (vRNA) and complementary RNA (cRNA). psRNA after a 30-min pulse with [3H]uridine contained 28% labeled cRNA, 70% host RNA, and no vRNA. After dissociation, psRNA sedimented heterogeneously. Heavy RNA (greater than 60S), ribosomal subunit RNA (rsuRNA, 30-60S), free mRNA (fmRNA, 10-30S), and light RNA (less than 10S) contained 16%, 54%, 70% and 28% cRNA, respectively, but no vRNA. When actinomycin D (AcD) was added at 2 h postinfection, the nature of the psRNA depended on the concentration of AcD and the condition of the labeling. At AcD concentrations of 1 mug or more per ml, no detectable vRNA or cRNA was associated with polysomes. At 0.2 mug of AcD per ml (a concentration that partially inhibited cRNA synthesis) and 2 h of labeling at 2.5 h postinfection, psRNA contained 40% viral-specific RNA, which included both vRNA and cRNA in almost equal amounts. When polysomes were dissociated, however, viral-specific fm RNA from AcD-treated cells contained exclusively cRNA and no detectable vRNA. Increasing amounts of labeled vRNA were present in the heavy region of the gradient (and in the pellet), which also contained varying amounts of cRNA. The labeled vRNA appears to be associated with polysomes in a cesium chloride density gradient (rho = 1.525 g/ml). Although we have ruled out the trivial explanation of viral ribonucleoprotein contamination,the nature of the complex containing both polysomes and vRNA is unknown.

Message activity of influenza viral RNA

The message activity of influenza virion RNA in the wheat germ cell-free protein-synthesizing system was investigated. RNA extracted from purified virions was found to direct the synthesis of a polypeptide that had the mobility of viral nucleocapsid protein on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Further characterization of the protein indicated it was not the nucleocapsid protein. No other polypeptides were detected. We conclude that influenza virion RNA is inactive as a template for the synthesis of virus-specific proteins.

Temperature-sensitive mutants of influenza WSN virus defective in virus-specific RNA synthesis

Influenza WSN virus temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants were examined for defects in viral complementary RNA (cRNA) synthesis. The synthesis of viral cRNA was determined by hybridizing RNA from infected cells to radiolabeled virion RNA of known specific activity. Mutants in complementation groups I and III synthesized little, or no, cRNA at the nonpermissive temperature (39.5 C). When cells infected by these mutants were incubated for 5 h at the permissive temperature (33 C) and were then shifted to 39.5 C, net synthesis of cRNA ceased. This strongly suggests that mutants in these two complementation groups possess a ts defect in the transciptase complex. Mutants in group II and group V synthesize reduced amounts of cRNA at 39.5 C. In contrast to the group I and group III mutants, cRNA synthesis in cells infected by a group II or a group V mutant continues after a shift-up. This indicated that these mutants do not possess a ts transcriptase complex and that these mutants are most probably defective in some step in the amplification of cRNA synthesis. As will be discussed, the most likely defect in these mutants is in the synthesis of virion-type RNA. These results suggest that there are two influenza viral gene functions required for transcription and most likely two additional gene functions required for RNA replication.

Abortive infection of L cells by influenza virus: absence of virion RNA synthesis

Influenza virus multiplies productively in chick cells and abortively in L cells. The infecting influenza virus RNA genomes are less stable in infected L cells than in infected chick cells. However, transcription of the virus genome in L cells, while reduced in rate, is not decreased in extent. There is no detectable synthesis of virion RNA in L cells, and this is the most likely cause of the abortive infection.

Direct evidence for messenger activity of influenza virion RNA

In a cell-free system of Escherichia coli, RNA from influenza virus particles is translated into a polypeptide antigenically identical with the ribonucleoprotein and several more proteins, some of which correspond in size to viral structural components.

Isolation and properties of an RNA polymerase from influenza virus-infected cells

Structures with RNA polymerase activity were isolated from influenza virus-infected cells, and consisted of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, similar in morphology to the viral internal component or nucleocapsid. The isolation procedure involved fractionation of infected cells in a discontinuous sucrose gradient, in which enzyme activity was concentrated in a fraction of intermediate density which contains both smooth and rough cytoplasmic membranes. The RNPs with polymerase activity were further purified in a velocity gradient, after which the peak fractions showed a 35-fold purification of the polymerase activity when compared with cytoplasmic extracts. The NP polypeptide, which is the subunit of the virion RNP, was the only virus-specific polypeptide detected in these RNP structures.

Transcription of the influenza ribonucleic acid genome by a virion polymerase. 3. Completeness of the transcription process

The virion ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase of influenza strain A(0)/WS transcribed at least 81% of the viral genome in vitro. The polymerase is shown to be associated with each of the major size classes of the virion RNA-ribonucleoprotein complexes. Under optimal in vitro conditions, at least 45% of the RNA contained in a population of influenza virions was involved in a repetitive transcription process. The detectable proteins associated with enzymatically active complexes containing RNA, ribonucleoprotein, and polymerase have been identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.