UV inactivation of vesicular stomatitis virus and its defective interfering (DI) particles was measured in order to obtain the target size for interference. In the case of DI particles whose genomes mapped at the 5' end of the virion RNA, this target size corresponded to the entire DI particle RNA molecule regardless of whether it amounted to 10, 30, or 50% of the viral genome. These data were interpreted as demonstrating that both termini of the DI particle RNAs were required for their replication and for interference with virion RNA replication. The unique heat-resistant DI particle, with an RNA molecule corresponding to the 3' half of the viral genome, exhibited an inactivation target size of approximately 42% of its RNA molecule with respect to both homotypic and heterotypic interference. Unlike other DI particles, this particle interfered with virion primary transcription. The unusual inactivation target size of the heat-resistant DI particle was interpreted as being a compromise between the requirements for replication of its genome and those for interference with virion primary transcription.