Complete Transcription by the Transcriptase of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) transcriptase completely transcribes the VSV genome into messenger-size ribonucleic acid (RNA) species. The replicating complexes of template and product RNA, generated in vitro by VSV transcriptase, exhibit a mass parity between product and template molecules. Purified product RNA, after annealing to small amounts of viral RNA, rendered 92% of the viral RNA ribonuclease-resistant. It is calculated that, under optimal conditions, 60 min is required before the VSV genome is completely transcribed.