Gliotoxin: inhibitor of poliovirus RNA synthesis that blocks the viral RNA polymerase 3Dpol.

The mode of action of gliotoxin against poliovirus has been analyzed in detail. This fungal metabolite inhibits the appearance of poliovirus proteins when present from the beginning of infection but has no effect on viral translation when added at late times. In agreement with previous findings, this toxin potently inhibited the incorporation of [3H]uridine into poliovirus RNA soon after its addition to the culture medium. Analysis of the synthesis of poliovirus plus- or minus-stranded RNA in the presence of gliotoxin suggests that this compound effectively hampered both processes. This result contrasts with the mode of action of other inhibitors of poliovirus RNA synthesis, such as guanidine or flavones, that selectively block plus-stranded RNA synthesis and suggests that the target of gliotoxin differs from the target of guanidine, i.e., poliovirus protein 2C. Indeed, gliotoxin was found to be a potent inhibitor of poliovirus RNA synthesis in cell-free systems, using membranous crude replication complexes, a reaction that is not blocked by guanidine or Ro 09-0179. Moreover, in vitro activity of the purified poliovirus polymerase 3Dpol was efficiently inhibited by gliotoxin. These results indicate that this toxin acts on the poliovirus polymerase 3Dpol, providing the first description of an inhibitor of this viral enzyme.