Effect of Actinomycin D on Cellular Nucleic Acid Synthesis and Virus Production

Actinomycin D inhibits the synthesis of ribonucleic acid in L cells and the yield of vaccinia virus containing deoxyribonucleic acid, but it does not inhibit cellular deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis or the multiplication of Mengo virus containing ribonucleic acid. These observations serve to distinguish the replication of viral ribonucleic from ribonucleic acid synthesis which is controlled by viral or cellular deoxyribonucleic acid.