FIG. 1.

Strand-specific characterization of viral RNAs produced during acute and persistent infection. The presence of plus (+)- and minus (−)-strand viral RNAs was determined by strand-specific RT-PCR and evaluated in combination with RNase I treatment to determine whether the RNA existed in a single- or double-stranded form. Production of a 2.3-kb amplicon which includes viral nucleotides 4365 to 6693 is shown (arrowhead) for control T7-transcribed single-stranded and annealed double-stranded RNAs (A) and viral RNAs produced during acute or persistent infection of muscle or G8 myoblasts (B). The strand that was primed during the RT reaction is indicated by (+) or (−). In panel B, an RT reaction without any added primer (N) served as a negative control.