Cellular Quiescence Modulates the Replication of L ts Mutants of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Infectious particle production by temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was measured in a variety of different host cell types maintained in a state of quiescence or stimulated to proliferate. At permissive temperatures, all ts mutants and the wild-type virus replicated equally well and with the same kinetics in both quiescent and proliferating cells. At semi-permissive temperatures, however, L ts mutants, with temperature-sensitive virion polymerases, showed a delay of about 6 h in infectious particle production relative to wild-type virus in proliferating cells and greater than 16 h in quiescent cells. The effect was specific for the L ts class of mutants and was not seen for representative mutants in any of the four other complementation groups of VSV. Regarding cellular determinants, the effect was correlated only with the growth phase and not with the species of origin, interferon inducibility or with malignant transformation.