Sequence relationships among defective interfering influenza viral RNAs.

Each clone of ts-52 and ts+ WSN influenza virus, when serially passaged at high multiplicity, gives rise to defective interfering (DI) virus with a unique set of new RNA species. The new RNAs (DI RNA) from several DI viruses were examined by the technique of RNase T1 oligonucleotide two-dimensional electrophoresis. It was found that each DI RNA arises from a specific segment of standard viral RNA. All DI RNA studied arose from the viral polymerase genes (P1, P2, and P3). DI RNAs originating from the same polymerase gene were interrelated. Certain of these DI RNAs appeared to contain completely overlapping nucleotide sequences. Others contained both overlapping and nonoverlapping nucleotide sequences. The latter DI RNAs may be formed from the progenitor viral RNA segment by a mechanism other than a common initiation (or termination) point and a simple deletion from one end.