Effect of aphidicolin on avian sarcoma virus replication.

We studied the effect of aphidicolin, an inhibitor of eucaryotic DNA polymerase alpha, on viral DNA replication and integration during the first 24 h after infection of quail embryo fibroblasts with avian sarcoma virus. In drug-treated cells, the synthesis of unintegrated linear viral DNA species was not impaired; however, the subsequent accumulation of circular viral DNA species and integrated proviral DNA was reversibly inhibited. After removal of the drug, circular viral DNA species were derived from preexisting linear viral DNA species, instead of being derived by de novo synthesis.