Influenza B virus mRNA synthesis in vivo: efficient transcription of vRNAs 1, 2 and 3

The D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, The USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, Gamaleya Street 16, Moscow 123098, U.S.S.R. Influenza B virus genomic RNA (vRNA) segments encoding polymerase proteins were shown to be efficiently transcribed in vivo , unlike those of influenza A virus. The results are discussed in connection with the primary structure of the 3' ends of vRNA segments. Received 2 January 1990; accepted 1 June 1990.