Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1993 Mar-Apr;144(2):129-39.
doi: 10.1016/s0923-2516(06)80021-x.

Structural gene products and morphogenesis of a hybrid between rubella virus and a hamster latent retrovirus

Affiliations

Structural gene products and morphogenesis of a hybrid between rubella virus and a hamster latent retrovirus

M Urade et al. Res Virol. 1993 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

We studied the structural gene products and morphogenesis of the hybrid between rubella virus (RV) and a latent retrovirus (R-type virus or R virus) of a baby hamster kidney cell line, BHK21/WI-2. In electron microscopic analysis, the rubella virion measures 80 nm in diameter and has a round nucleoid form with an electron-lucid centre, while R-type virus is 110 nm in diameter and has a round nucleoid with radial spokes. The type 2 hybrid (H2) virion is pleomorphic, ranging from 85 to 110 nm in diameter, and has a nucleoid structure similar to R virus, with short spokes. Indirect immunofluorescence staining of H2-infected cells with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against the RV structural proteins demonstrated expression of the homologous RV gene products. SDS-PAGE of 35S-methionine-labelled proteins in RV- and H2-infected cells revealed that they both produce four major immunoprecipitable proteins, three of which (E2a, E2b and C) are products of the two genetic homologous loci (e2 and c). In nonhomologous regions, RV-infected cells exhibited E1 protein, while H2-infected cells produced the Env protein of R virus. Western immunoblotting analysis of RV and H2 viral proteins with mAb confirmed that H2 virions carry rubella viral E2 and C proteins and that E1 protein is carried by RV but not H2 virion. These results explained the absence of serological cross-neutralization of haemagglutination and plaque-forming ability of RV and H2 viruses.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types

MeSH terms