Characterization of homologous defective interfering RNA during persistent infection of Vero cells with Japanese encephalitis virus.
It has been suggested that defective interfering (DI) RNA contributes to the persistence of Japanese en-cephalitis virus (JEV). In this study, we characterized molecular and biological aspects of the DI RNA and its relation to viral persistence. We identified a homolo-gous DI virus intimately associated with JEV persis-tence in Vero cells. The production of DI RNA during undiluted serial passages of JEV coincided with the appearance of cells refractory to acute infection with JEV. We also established a Vero cell clone with a per-sistent JEV infection in which the DI RNA co-replicated efficiently at the expense of helper virus. The infectious virus yield of the clone fluctuated dur-ing its growth depending upon the amount of DI RNA accumulated in the previous replication cycle. Identifi-cation of the corresponding negative-sense RNA of the DI RNA indicated that the DI RNA functioned as a replication unit. Most of the DI RNA molecules re-tained their open reading frames despite a large dele-tion, encompassing most of the prM, the entire E, and the 5' half of the NS1 gene. Taken together, these ob-servations suggest that the generation of homologous DI RNA during successive JEV acute infections in Vero cells probably participates actively in persistent JEV infection.
Yoon
Sung Wook
SW
Department of Biology and Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
Lee
Sang-Yong
SY
Won
Sung-Yong
SY
Park
Sun-Hee
SH
Park
Soo-Young
SY
Jeong
Yong Seok
YS
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D004664:Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012692:Serial Passage; D014709:Vero Cells; D014762:Viral Interference / Q000235:genetics*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics
D012367:RNA, Viral