VENEZUELAN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS: AN APPARENT DOUBLY BLOCKED CONDITIONAL LETHAL VIRUS
Abstract
The replication of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus is completely inhibited at 44 C. The inhibited steps were analyzed by changing the incubating temperatures and determining the rate and extent of infectious RNA synthesis, intact virus synthesis, and complement-fixing antigen formation during the changes. The inhibition appears to be due to the presence of two temperature-sensitive steps involved in the synthesis of VEE virus in chick embryo cells. At 44 C the first step occurs early in virus replication and can be completely reversed by returning cultures to 37 C. The site of inhibition appears to be located at some point beyond the time when the virus enters the cell and is uncoated and the beginning of viral RNA synthesis. The efficiency of reversing the inhibition after 24 hours' incubation at 44 C is approximately 100%, and suggests that the viral genome exists in a stabilized form in the cell. The second temperature-sensitive step is irreversible and occurs late in the virus synthesis process, probably between synthesis of viral RNA and formation of virus protein as measured by complement-fixing antigen, or as antigen that would be detectable by the fluorescent antibody technique. The question of whether VEE virus is fundamentally a singly or doubly blocked conditional lethal virus is discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0803661
Entities
People
- Arthur Brown
- Eugene Zebovitz