Coupling of polyoma DNA and RNA synthesis

Polyoma virus RNA from infected mouse embryo cells was examined by gel electrophoresis and in nucleic acid hybridisation experiments. The extent of representation of the polyoma genome in RNA sequences when cytosine arabinoside is present throughout infection is 30 to 40% of that at late times in infection. When viral DNA synthesis is inhibited during the period in which it is rising to its maximum, the resulting cytoplasmic RNA resembles ‘early’ RNA both in size and by its behaviour in competition hybridisation experiments.