Covalently linked message and anti-message (genomic) RNA from a defective vesicular stomatitis virus particle

The RNA isolated from a new defective interfering particle of vesicular stomatitis virus is 80 to 90% double-stranded. Annealing and electron microscopic analyses indicate that the complementary sequences of this duplex are covalently linked in a hairpin structure. Approximately half of the sequences found in this RNA are normal genomic sequences found in the RNA of the infectious virus. The other half, the complement of the former, are message sequences that are not found in the infectious virus. Within the particle, the RNA exists as a single-stranded ribonucleoprotein complex, 0·85 μm in length. Upon deproteinization the RNA collapses into a self-complementary double stranded duplex, 0·33 μm in length. The possible relevance of covalently linked message and genomic sequences to the mechanism of vesicular stomatitis virus replication is discussed.