Inhibition by aurintricarboxylic acid and polyethylene sulfonate of RNA transcription of vesicular stomatitis virus.

The in vitro activity of the ribonucleoprotein-dependent RNA transcriptase of vesicular stomatitis virions was found to be completely inhibited by low concentrations of aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) and polyethylene sulfonic acid (PES) when these inhibitors were added before the start of the RNA polymerase reaction. However, if RNA synthesis was allowed to occur before ATA or PES was added, RNA synthesis continued for a short time (10 min or less) in the presence of either inhibitor at a concentration which completely inhibited uninitiated enzyme. The ability to continue to synthesize RNA in the presence of ATA or PES only developed if all four nucleoside triphosphates were present during the preincubation period prior to the addition of the inhibitors. The protection was apparently not due to the released products of RNA polymerization. The results are interpreted as indicating that ATA and PES probably inhibit some reaction other than elongation of RNA chains, and this reaction might be one involved at or near initiation sites.