The morphogenesis of human cytomegalovirus: Isolation and polypeptide characterization of cytomegalovirions and dense bodies

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 66; no. 2; pp. 464 - 473
• Main Authors: Sarov, Israel, Abady, Irit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.1975
• Subjects: Autoradiography; Centrifugation, Density Gradient; Culture Techniques; Cytomegalovirus - analysis; Cytomegalovirus - growth & development; Cytomegalovirus - isolation & purification; DNA, Viral - analysis; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Fibroblasts; Humans; Inclusion Bodies, Viral; Microscopy, Electron; Molecular Weight; Morphogenesis; Peptides - analysis; Viral Proteins - analysis; Virus Replication
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(75)90218-4

Cytomegalovirions (CMV) and enveloped dense bodies were isolated from the medium of CMV-infected human fibroblasts by sucrose density gradients. The purified particles were characterized with respect to their morphology and polypeptide constitution. CMV was found to be composed of at least 23 species of polypeptides which were identified by means of SDS-urea polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. They ranged in molecular weights from 24,500 to about 171,000. These polypeptides can account for 34% of the virus genetic information assuming a DNA molecular weight of 10 8 and assymetric transcription. The dense bodies were found to be spherical particles surrounded by a membrane similar to the viral envelope. They varied in size but were usually about 300 nm in diameter. The dense bodies contained little or no DNA and had most, but not all of the structural polypeptides of CMV. One of the 23 polypeptides present in the whole virus (VP 18a) was not detectable, and five other structural polypeptides (VP 1, VP 2, VP 3a, VP 3c and VP 5) were barely detectable. The major polypeptide of cytomegalo dense bodies was VP 9 (MW, 67,000) which comprised about 40% of its total protein complement. This polypeptide was also the principal polypeptide component of purified virions. The potential application of dense bodies as a vaccine against cytomegalovirus infections is discussed.