Inhibition of Host Protein Synthesis and Degradation of Cellular mRNAs During Infection by Influenza and Herpes Simplex Virus

Cloned DNA copies of two cellular genes were used to monitor, by blot hybridization, the stability of particular cell mRNAs after infection by influenza virus and herpesvirus. The results indicated that the inhibition of host cell protein synthesis that accompanied infection by each virus could be explained by a reduction in the amounts of cellular mRNAs in the cytoplasm, and they suggested that this decrease was due to virus-mediated mRNA degradation.