Inhibition of early vaccinia virus ribonucleic acid synthesis in interferon-treated chicken embryo fibroblasts.

Pretreatment of chicken embryo cells with homologous but not heterologous interferon inhibits the synthesis of vaccinia virus early messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). This inhibition is seen in the presence of cycloheximide, i.e., in the absence of protein synthesis, suggesting that the virion-bound transcriptase may be the target of the antiviral activity associated with interferon treatment. The inhibition of viral mRNA synthesis is dependent on the amount of chicken interferon used. The nonviral interferon inducer, polyriboinosine.polyribocytidine, similarly inhibits viral early mRNA synthesis in a dose-specific manner. The helical polynucleotide polydeoxyinosine.polyribocytidine, which is not an effective interferon inducer in chicken embryo cells, has no effect on viral ribonucleic acid synthesis.