Effect of tunicamyein on the morphogenesis of Semliki Forest virus and Rous sarcoma virus

Abstract

Semliki Forst Virus (SFV) infected chick embroyo cells (CEC) incubated in the presence of Tunicamyein, a drug which specifically inhibits glycosylation, were studied under the electron microscope. No extracellular virions were produced although intracellular viral nucleocapsids in paracrystalline form were detected. Under these conditions the structures, referred to as type 1 and 2 cytopathic vacuoles (cpv-1 and cpv-2, respectively) as well as membraneous spherules at the plasma membrane could still be observed. CEC rpoductively infected and transformed by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) incubated for 24 hours in the presence of Tunicamycin (1 microgram/ml) still showed budding and extracellular parties. Intracellur nucleocapsid could could not be detected.