Cytoplasmic Localization of Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis Induced in the Cells Infected With Some Group a Arboviruses

Abstract

SUMMARY:Specific RNA synthesis induced in VERO cells by the infection with western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus or Chikungunya virus was studied by autoradiography in the presence of chromomycin A3 or actinomycin D allowing the viruses to propagate despite the suppression of cellular RNA synthesis.It was revealed that such virus-induced RNA pulse-labeled with 3H-uridine after infection of WEE virus or Chikungunya virus appeared dispersedly in the cytoplasm of the infected cells.Chikungunya virus-induced RNA accumulated after chase in the restricted areas of the cytoplasm.This finding supports the general view that the loci of RNA synthesis induced by group A arboviruses are confined within the cytoplasm of the infected cells.

Selection of a Fast-Growing Chikungunya Virus by Passage From Suckling Mouse Brain to Vero Cells

“…Western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus passaged through mouse brain propagated well yielding more than 100 PFU per cell in VERO cells (Takeda et al, 1971). On the other hand, our preliminary experiments showed that Chikungunya seed virus passaged through suckling mouse brain attained only 0.1 PFU per cell in the VERO cells at the primary infection, and that the virus after additional three passages through the cultured cells multiplied pronouncedly in VERO cells attaining more than 100 PFU per cell.…”