Biosynthesis of reovirus-specified polypeptides. Multiplication rate but not yield of reovirus serotypes 1 and 3 correlates with the level of virus-mediated inhibition of cellular protein synthesis.

Kinetic analysis of mouse L fibroblast cells infected with reovirus revealed that serotypes 1 (Lang strain) and 3 (Dearing strain) differ significantly from each other in terms of their rates of multiplication and their effects on cellular protein synthesis. Serotype 1 did not significantly affect the synthesis of cellular polypeptides in monolayer cultures of L cells at late times after infection when virus-specific protein synthesis was at a maximum. By contrast, under identical culture conditions, serotype 3 essentially completely inhibited the synthesis of cellular polypeptides at late times when viral protein synthesis was at a maximum. The kinetics of virus-specific polypeptide synthesis and the production of infectious progeny were considerably slower for the serotype 1 Lang strain as compared to the serotype 3 Dearing strain, both at 30 and 37 degrees. However, the relative pattern of viral polypeptide synthesis and the final yield of infectious progeny did not differ significantly between serotypes 1 and 3. For both serotypes, the maximum yield of infectious progeny was obtained shortly after the maximum rate of viral polypeptide synthesis was reached. These results suggest that the rate of multiplication, but not the final yield, of reovirus serotypes 1 and 3 is related to the extent of virus-mediated inhibition of cellular protein synthesis.