Shutoff of host RNA synthesis in bacteriophage T4-infected Escherichia coli in the absence of host DNA degradation and nuclear disruption.

In contrast to its effect on host DNA synthesis, nuclear disruption in phage T4-infected Escherichia coli B/5 cells has no effect on the shutoff of host RNA synthesis. Host RNA synthesis is shut off normally after infection with T4 multiple mutants that fail to induce both nuclear disruption and host DNA degradation.