Interrelation between viral and cellular DNA synthesis in mouse cells infected with the parvovirus minute virus of mice.

Mouse fibroblasts arrested in G0 by isoleucine deprivation were inoculated with the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM). Infected cells were released from the G0 block by transfer to complete medium and their progression to and and through the S phase was monitored. The onset of viral and cellular DNA synthesis coincided, suggesting that cellular factor(s) required for MVM DNA replication became available as soon as cells entered the S phase. Cellular DNA synthesis was reduced to about 60% by MVM infection. However, this inhibition did not decrease significantly the overall rate of DNA replication in infected cells because it was compensated by concomitant viral DNA synthesis. MVM infection delayed the movement of the cells out of S phase by at least 5 h. At any time post-infection, more than 95% of both viral and cellular DNA synthesis was sensitive to inhibition by aphidicolin. Since this drug is highly specific for cellular DNA polymerase alpha, the data are consistent with a major role of this enzyme in the in vivo DNA replication of autonomous parvovirus. The assembly of 95% of virus progeny particles was concomitant with a late phase or viral DNA replication which accounted for 30% of the total viral DNA synthesized. The inhibition of this residual viral DNA replication by aphidicolin reduced dramatically the size of the burst of infectious particles; this observation concurs with other evidence to suggest that encapsidation is driven by a late replication event sensitive to this drug.