The reovirus replicative cycle: conservation of parental RNA and protein.

The fate of parental reovirions in the viral replicative cycle has been analyzed using CsCl density centrifugation. After penetration of L-cells, reovirus is converted from a particle of density 1.39 g/cm(3) to a subviral particle of density 1.41 g/cm(3). This alteration in density is temporally correlated with the hydrolysis of viral coat proteins and is qualitatively similar when particles are labeled in their RNA or protein. Ten hours after infection, when synthesis of progeny virus is underway, the parental RNA and protein are again found at density 1.39 g/cm(3). These data demonstrate conservation of the parental RNA and protein in the subviral particle throughout the replicative cycle.