Replication process of the parvovirus H-1. VII. Electron microscopy of replicative-form DNA synthesis.

The geometry of replicative form (RF) DNA synthesis of the H-1 parvovirus was studied with the electron microscope using formamide or aqueous variations of the Kleinschmidt spreading procedure. H-1 DNA was isolated from human or hamster cells infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant, ts1, which is deficient in progeny single-stranded DNA synthesis at the restrictive temperature (S.L. Rhode, 1976), thus minimizing possible confusion between RF and progeny DNA replicative intermediates (RIs). The purity of the isolated H-1 DNA, as determined by gel electrophoresis, ethidium bromide staining, autoadiography, and digestion with endo R-EcoRI, was high. H-1 RF DNA'S WERE LINEAR DOUBLE-STRANDED MOLECULES, 1.53 MUM IN LENGTH. H-1 RIs of RF DNA replication were double-stranded, Y-shaped molecules, with the same length as RF DNAs. The replication origin was localized no more than 0.15 genome lengths from one end of the RF DNA, with replication proceeding toward the other end at a uniform rate. Similar RF and RI molecules of dimer size were also observed. The length of H-1 single-stranded DNA extracted from purified virions was measured relative to that of phiX174 and it had a very similar contour length, so that the molecular weight of H-1 single-stranded DNA would be at least 1.48 X 10(6) to 1.59 X 10(6) (Berkowitz and Day, 1974).