Different mRNAs induced by interferon in cells from inbred mouse strains A/J and A2G.

Treatment of cells from inbred mouse strains A/J and A2G with interferon resulted in the development of different antiviral states for influenza viruses. A2G mice-derived cells that carry the resistance gene Mx were efficiently protected by interferon against influenza viruses, whereas the interferon protection against the same viruses in wild-type A/J mice-derived cells was only marginal. The two cell types, however, were equally protected by interferon against vesicular stomatitis virus and other non-orthomyxoviruses. The interferon-induced mRNAs of mouse embryonic fibroblast cells that carried either homozygous wild-type alleles or homozygous Mx alleles were compared. The isolated polysome-bound mRNAs from A/J (+/+) and A2G (Mx/Mx) cells were translated in a cell-free translation system, and the translation products were analyzed after two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. New mRNAs coding for at least eight proteins with molecular weights (MW) ranging from 30,000 to 80,000 were found in interferon-treated cells but not in control cells. Differences in the interferon-induced mRNAs from A/J and A2G cells were also found. An mRNA coding for a 72,000-MW protein was found in interferon-treated A2G cells but not in interferon-treated A/J cells. Interferon-treated A/J cells, on the other hand, contained an mRNA coding for a 65,000-MW protein that was not found in interferon-treated A2G cells. The in vitro-synthesized 65,000-MW protein efficiently bound to GMP. Cytoplasmic extracts prepared from interferon-treated A/J cells also contained a GMP-binding 65,000-MW protein that was undetectable in similarly treated A2G cells.