Studies using inhibitors of DNA synthesis have shown that DNA polymerase alpha is located in nuclei of polyoma virus infected mouse cells to the same degree as these nuclei are engaged in DNA replication. These results indicate that either the enzyme is actively transported into nuclei concomitant with the onset of DNA synthesis, or that it is bound much more strongly in nuclei during DNA replication. In any case, these observations support the hypothesis that DNA polymerase alpha is involved in the replication of cellular and viral DNA.