# REPLICATIVE MECHANISMS OF THE NEGATIVE STRAND VIRUSES

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $159,518

## Abstract

We will study virus-host cell interactions with respect to i) the effect of
vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) transcription products on host
macromolecular functions and ii) the effect of infected cell factors on in
vitro viral transcription and replication.  We will determine the content
of viral transcripts in the nucleus and cytoplasm of acutely and
persistently infected cells with particular interest in the role of the
leader RNA in the inhibition of host cell transcription.  We will determine
whether the rapid accumulation of VSV transcripts in the nucleus is the
result of viral transcription in the nucleus or selective transport to the
nucleus.  In addition, nuclear leader RNA will be examined for interactions
with proteins that are involved in host or viral RNA synthesis.  We will
determine whether rabies virus synthesizes a leader RNA in vivo, determine
the rabies leader sequence and study its intracellular localization.
Therefore, these studies are directed towards understanding the molecular
basis of nuclear involvement in rhabdovirus cytopathogenicity.  We will
study the role of short VSV transcription products in messenger RNA
synthesis and the molecular switch to RNA replication.  Short capped RNA
species sythesized in vitro will be studied in pulse-chase experiments to
determine whether they are precursors to mRNA.  We will further examine the
effects of infected cell extracts on the synthesis of short capped and 5'
triphosphated small RNAs.  We will biochemically fractionate VSV infected
cells and isolate factors that promote the synthesis of polycistronic mRNA
and the readthrough of DI particle transcription stop signals.  We will
determine whether the switch to replicative plus strand synthesis involves
chemical modification of the transcriptase, the nucleocapsid template or
the RNA product.  These studies are, thus, directed towards the development
of an in vitro replication system for VSV and an understanding of the
molecular basis of VSV gene expression.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3126555
- **Project number:** 5R01AI016099-08
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** TP7EK8DZV6N5
- **Principal Investigator:** JACK D KEENE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $159,518
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1979-08-01 → 1988-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3126555

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3126555, REPLICATIVE MECHANISMS OF THE NEGATIVE STRAND VIRUSES (5R01AI016099-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3126555. Licensed CC0.

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