Transcription of vesicular stomatitis virus is required to shut off cellular RNA synthesis.

RNA synthesis by mouse myeloma (MPC-11) cells was rapidly and progressively shut off by infection with vesicular stomatitis virus temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants permissive for transcription. In sharp contrast, mutants or defective vesicular stomatitis virions restricted in transcription were incapable of causing progressive inhibition of cellular RNA synthesis even at massive multiplicities of infection. A viral product synthesized 30 to 60 min after permissive infection with tsG114(I) appeared to be essential for prolonged inhibition of RNA synthesis in cells switched up to restrictive temperature.