Replication of the parvovirus MVM. II. Isolation and characterization of intermediates in the replication of the viral deoxyribonucleic acid.

The time course of the appearance of intracellular viral DNA has been studied in mouse L cells infected with the single-stranded DNA virus MVM (minute virus of mice) by using a selective extraction procedure. Approximately half of this DNA elutes from hydroxyapatite as single-stranded DNA. It is sensitive to Escherichia coli exonuclease I and shows a sedimentation profile similar to DNA from the virus, suggesting that it is progeny viral DNA. The remainder of the selectively extracted DNA elutes from hydroxyapatite in the position of double-stranded DNA and is resistant to exonuclease I. Most of this DNA has a sedimentation coefficient of 14 to 16S, indicating that its molecular weight is twice that of the viral DNA. Denaturation renders the majority of the double-stranded DNA sensitive to exonuclease I, but a significant fraction renatures spontaneously in a monomolecular fashion, indicating that it has a cross-linked or hairpin structure. Chromatography of the double-stranded DNA on benzoylated diethylaminoethyl cellulose resolves two components, one with duplex structure and one which contains single-stranded regions. A short pulse label late in infection predominantly labels the latter class of DNA, suggesting that it contains replicating intermediates. The possible roles of these various forms of DNA in the replication of the viral genome are discussed.