FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY STUDIES ON THE MULTIPLICATION OF RABBIT MYXOMA VIRUS

Abstract

It had already been found that “B” type inclusion body of myxoma virus had common characteristics of morphology and cytochemistry with other pox viruses, ectromelia, fowlpox and vaccinia.
FL cell cultures infected with myxoma virus were studied by light microscopy and fluorescent antibody technique for the visualization of intracellular virus antigen, chiefly with a view of elucidation of the nature of “B” type inclusion body. The findings were correlated with the growth curve of infectious virus, determined from companion cultures.
The results revealed the following facts.
1. The “B” type inclusion bodies were found to contain a great deal of viral antigen.
2. The appearance of “B” type inclusion body and fluorescent cell in the serial experiment of viral growth were closely correlated with the development of complement fixing antigen and infectious virus.
3. The intracellular fluorescence were found exclusively in cytoplasm, not in nuclei throught the experiment of the growth of myxoma virus.
These results suggest that “B” type inclusion body may be the main site of virus multiplication and the nuclei do not antigenically participated in the viral synthesis.