Differential inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus polypeptide synthesis by hypertonic initiation block.

Synthesis of the vesicular stomatitis virus membrane matrix protein and the glycoprotein is inhibited to a greater extent than the synthesis of the nucleocapsid protein, the nonstructural protein, and the large protein when the rate of peptide chain initiation is reduced by exposure of vesicular stomatitis virus-infected cells to hypertonic medium. It is concluded that the relative sensitivity of individual viral polypeptide synthesis to hypertonic initiation block is independent of the site of synthesis, i.e., whether on membrane-associated or free polyribosomes.