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Abstract
The effect of interferon on the activity and synthesis of a specific Semliki forest virus RNA polymerase has been studied. Highly purified and semi- purified interferons were without effect on the action of the viral RNA polymerase in the in vitro assay, while crude interferon preparations were inhibitory. Polymerase activity was low in interferon-treated infected cells, but this did not result from the presence of enzyme inhibitors in the preparations. Attempts to demonstrate an inhibitor of the polymerase in interferon-treated uninfected cells were unsuccessful. The inhibition of viral RNA synthesis observed in interferon-treated cells may result from an inhibition of the synthesis of the viral RNA polymerase rather than from an inhibition of the action of this enzyme.
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