[Protein metabolism in chick embryo cells infected with Sendai virus]

Inocluation of chick fibroblasts with Sendai virus results in a significant increase of protein synthesis. In cytoplasmic extracts of infected cells the content of polyribosomes increased and that of free (nontranslating) 80S ribosomes decreased, the "additional" polysomes of the infected cells being involved in protein synthesis. The portion of virus-specific protein synthesis in the infected cells was about 40% of the total protein synthesis. This means that with the total increase of protein synthesis 2-fold and (in some experiments) higher, the summary synthesis of cell proteins proper is not inhibited (possibly, it is slightly increased). Quite effective synthesis of virus-specific proteins for a comparatively long period after infection and ineffective maturation of virions eventually lead to a rather considerable accumulation of virus-specific proteins in the infected cells. The total content of protein in samples prepared 2 days after infection is approximately 1-1/2 as high as in uninfected samples.