Growth characteristics of Kilham rat virus and its effect on cellular cellular macromolecular synthesis.

Kilham rat virus (KRV) is adsorbed into the rat nephroma cell within 1 hr after infection. There follows a latent period of about 12 hr during which less than 1% of the input infectious virus can be accounted for. New infectious virions can be detected at about 12 hr and the maximal yield of virus is attained by 23 hr after infection. The increase in final virus yield is about 200-fold over that found in the latent period. During this 23-hr period of virus growth, the rate of protein synthesis remains 75 to 100% of that in the uninfected cell. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis during this period is maintained at 100 to 150% of that found in the control cells. The addition of the inhibitor of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis, 5-fluoro-deoxyuridine (FUDR), up to 8 hr after infection completely suppresses virus production. After 8 hr, viral DNA production has started and FUDR inhibition progressively decreases until by 23 hr the addition of the inhibitor no longer causes a reduced virus yield. Viral DNA synthesis once initiated is required for the remainder of the 23-hr virus cycle. Viral DNA synthesis probably begins about 4 hr before the production of infectious virions. In the KRV-infected cells, DNA synthesis decreased sharply for 6 to 7 hr after infection in comparison to the uninfected cell. At 7 to 8 hr after infection, DNA synthesis in the infected cell increased and was maintained at a higher level than in the control cells for the rest of the virus growth period.