Evidence against the role of K+ in the shut-off of protein synthesis by vesicular stomatitis virus.

Intracellular K+ ion concentration and transport were measured in L cells infected with wild type VSV, which rapidly inhibits total protein synthesis in infected cells, and with a mutant, RI, defective in this function. No alterations in intracellular K+ ion concentration or transport were observed until late in infection and the late changes seen were similar for both viruses. Thus the inhibition of total protein synthesis by VSV cannot be ascribed to virus induced changes in host K+ ion concentration.