Polysomes and polysomal mRNAs in SV40-infected CV-1 cells. In vivo observations.

SV40-specific polysomes are relatively larger than host polysomes. Both 16 S and 19 S virus-specific late mRNAs are found associated with these polysomes and they are present in a ratio of approximately 2 : 1. The rates at which these virus-specific mRNAs are translated are the same, so that the relative amounts of virus-specific polypeptides synthesized in the virus-infected cells is determined by the relative amounts of 16 S and 19 S mRNAs coding for them.