Translation of Virus mRNA: Synthesis of Bacteriophage Qβ Proteins in a Cell-Free Extract from Wheat Embryo

The RNA from bacteriophage Qβ can be translated by cell-free extracts from wheat embryos. This translation, by 80 S ribosomes, occurs at a low magnesium ion concentration. Three products are synthesized which coelectrophorese with Qβ proteins synthesized in Escherichia coli extracts. The smallest of these has been identified as coat protein. Although the polycistronic bacteriophage message is translated with fidelity, the efficiency is much less than when the monocistronic brome mosaic virus coat protein message is translated.