HEMAGGLUTINATING ACTIVITY OF DIARRHEA VIRUS OF INFANT MICE (DVIM)

Abstract

Diarrhea virus of infant mice (DVIM), isolated by Sato et al., seemed to be a new member of the coronaviridae.
DVIM agglutinated mouse and rat erythrocytes at 4°C and dissociated them irreversibly at 37°C. The optimal pH ranged from 6.50 to 6.82 for the hemagglutination reaction. Dissociation of agglutinated erythrocytes was accelerated most remarkably at pH 7.43, but did not take place at pH 6.50.
Mouse erythrocytes treated with DVIM, influenza virus type A (Inf.-A), Sendai virus (HVJ), and receptor-destroying enzyme (RDE) were used to test the hemagglutinating activity of each virus. As a result, the following findings were obtained.
(1) DVIM receptor on the mouse erythrocyte was destroyed by DVIM itself, but not by Inf.-A, HVJ, or RDE. (2) When DVIM-treated mouse erythrocytes were used, HA titers of Inf.-A and HVJ became two to four times as high as that of the control. (3) The receptor-de-stroying activity of DVIM was possibly derived from an enzyme-like substance located in the virion. This substance however, was clearly different from neuraminidase or RDE.