Asynchronous synthesis of the complementary strands of the reovirus genome.

The mechanism of replication of the double-stranded RNA genome of reovirus has been analyzed by tracing the fate of the parental double-stranded RNA genome and by determining whether the complementary strands, which comprise the progeny double-stranded RNA, are synthesized simultaneously or sequentially. The results indicate that the parental double-stranded RNA is conserved as the original duplex molecule within a subviral particle throughout the viral replicative cycle. The complementary strands, which form the progeny double-stranded RNA, are produced asynchronously. Minus strands are synthesized on preformed plus-strand templates, whereas plus strands appear to be synthesized on double-stranded RNA templates.