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Inactivation of Herpes Simplex Virus by Concanavalin A

¹ Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214

ABSTRACT

The infectivity of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was inactivated after treatment with either concanavalin A (ConA) or periodate. Phytohemagglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, and neuraminidase failed to inactivate the virus. The effect of ConA could be specifically inhibited or reversed by the addition of -methyl-D-glucoside or -methyl-D-mannoside. Evidence was obtained that HSV-1 inactivated by ConA could adsorb to host cells. Viral aggregation was not a major mechanism in the inactivation of HSV-1 by ConA. Under the experimental conditions employed, inactivation of HSV-1 was faster by ConA than by antiserum and less temperature dependent. A ConA-resistant fraction was detected which appeared to adsorb less quickly than untreated virus, and penetration of ConA-resistant fraction was strikingly slow. The presence of aggregates in the virus preparation did not appear to account for the ConA-resistant fraction. Inactivation of viral infectivity by ConA was obtained only with enveloped viruses, since HSV-1, HSV-2, pseudorabies, and vesicular stomatitis virus were inactivated and vaccinia and echovirus type 6 were not.