Adenovirus VAI RNA prevents phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 α subunit subsequent to infection

The virus-associated VAI RNA of adenovirus is a small, RNA polymerase III-transcribed species required for efficient translation of mRNAs late after infection. Deletion mutant dl331 fails to produce this RNA and, as a result, grows poorly. Three lines of evidence suggest that VAI RNA facilitates translation by preventing inactivation of the function of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2). First, the mutant's translational defect can be relieved by addition of eIF-2 or eIF-2B (GTP recycling factor). Second, extracts of mutant-infected cells exhibit enhanced protein P₁/eIF-2α subunit kinase activity. Third, dl331 can grow with nearly normal kinetics in cells that do not express the kinase.