DNA Synthesis in Resting African Green Monkey Kidney Cells Infected with Defective SV40

SV40 (small-plaque type) generates heterogeneous defective virus particles during serial undiluted passages. DNA synthesis in resting African green monkey kidney cells infected with such defective particles was studied by autoradiography and band-sedimentation. The defective particles were found to have capacities to induce synthesis of cell DNA and to direct synthesis of virus DNA. The progeny virus DNA was more heterogeneous than the standard DNA.