ABSTRACT. DNA synthesis was effectively inhibited by antisense oligonucleotide A1 complementary to the BamHI-H gene family in Marek's disease virus (MDV)-derived lymphoblastoid MDCC-MSB1 cells. When a cell cycle distribution of a total cell population was analyzed by flow cytometry, the proportion of S-phase cells increased in the cell populations by treatment with oligonucleotide A1. Approximately 60-70% of the cells appeared in the S phase for 24 and 36 hr of incubation in the presence of oligonucleotide A1 (20-30% in the untreated control cells). The inhibition of cell cycle progression by treatment with oligonucleotide A1 was reversible. When the cells were treated with 5 µM aphidicolin for 12 hr, a similar pattern of cell cycle distribution was observed to that obtained after treatment with oligonucleotide A1. Aphidicolin is an inhibitor of cellular DNA polymerase α, and it halts progression of the cell cycle at the G1/S border or early S phase. When the cells were treated with aphidicolin for 12 hr and subsequently incubated with oligonucleotide A1, no significant difference was observed in the cycle phase distribution of cells in the presence and absence of oligonucleotide A1. In contrast, when the cells were treated with oligonucleotide A1 for 12 hr and subsequently incubated with aphidicolin, the cell cycle did not progress from the G1/S border or early S phase to the next phase.-KEY WORDS: BamHI-H gene family, cell cycle arrest, DNA synthesis, Marek's disease virus, MDCC-MSB1.