Characterization of Rinderpest virus and Mechanism of its Persistence in Vero Cells

Abstract

Despite the fact that an enormous amount of work is being carried out on measles and canine distemper viruses, there is very little information available on the structure-function relationship and persistence of rinderpest virus in vivo and in vitro. The present study was undertaken to understand the mechanisms of rinderpest virus persistence in vitro. The knowledge of the structure-function relationship of the virus was essential for an in depth study of the course of viral replication in acute and persistent infection. The structure-function relationship of the virus has been studied in detail. The virions have been biochemically characterized. The structural proteins of the virus have been identified and purified; monospecific antisera have been produced for these proteins. A persistent infection of rinderpest virus in Vero cells has been established and characterized. Various aspects of persistent infection include biological characterization of the infection, structural alterations in plasma membranes, expression of viral antigens and mode of their synthesis in vivo and in vitro. Acute and persistent infections have been compared and the conformation of nucleocapsids in the acute and persistent infection state has been examined. Important structural differences have been seen in the nucleocapsids. The proportion of plus and minus strands associated with the nucleocapsids in acute and persistent infection has been determined. There is a preponderance of negative strand RNAs in acutely infected cells, whereas in persistently infected cells the proportion of positive strand RNAs is higher, suggesting an alteration in the typical replication cycle.