Reovirus-specific messenger ribonucleoprotein particles from HeLa cells.
When reovirus-infected Hela cells are incubated at 43 degrees C virus-specific messenger RNA is released from the polysomes. It accumulates free in the cytoplasm as messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs). These particles have a sedimentation rate of about 50S and a buoyant density in CsCL of 1.42 g/cm3. Reovirus mRNPs contain, besides all three size classes of reovirus messenger RNA, the same spectrum of proteins found in the polysomal mRNPs from uninfected cells, plus two additional proteins with molecular masses of 70 000 d and 110 000 d, respectively. Electron microscopic examination of the reovirus mRNP fraction reveals specific Y-shaped structures with a total mean length of 0.5 micrometers.
Cell Transformation, Viral↗