Identification and analysis of Ebola virus messenger RNA

Six messenger RNA species of Ebola virus were identified in infected Vero E6 cells. Virion RNA hybridizes to each of the mRNAs, confirming that Ebola virus possesses a negative-stranded RNA genome. The mRNAs are monocristronic transcripts, are synthesized in the presence of actinomycin D, and are polyadenylated. In vitro translation of mRNA preparations results in the synthesis of five authentic viral proteins and a putative unglycosylated form of the glycoprotein, demonstrated by immunoprecipitation with virus-specific antisera and SDS-PAGE. No mRNA species was detected for the polymerase (L protein) gene.