Identification and characterization of a group of discrete initiated oligonucleotides transcribed in vitro from the 3' terminus of the N-gene of vesicular stomatitis virus.

Four triphosphate-initiated oligonucleotides, 11 to 14 bases long, produced by in vitro transcription of vesicular stomatitis virus were identified as the uncapped 5' sequences of N-gene mRNA. Characterization of these oligonucleotides reveals that they are continually produced stable transcripts that do not remain template bound. Under the conditions used, the oligonucleotide transcripts were produced at 8 to 10 times the molar amount of leader, suggesting that the N-gene mRNA is internally initiated.