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Ebola virus defective interfering particles and persistent infection
P Calain1, M C Monroe, S T Nichol
1Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop G14, 1600 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4018, USA.
Virology
|September 18, 1999
Summary
Ebola virus (Zaire subtype) can create defective interfering (DI) particles and establish persistent infections in cell cultures. These findings suggest DI particles may serve as tools for studying Ebola virus replication.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Ebola virus (Zaire subtype) causes high-mortality outbreaks with human-to-human transmission.
- Survivors may exhibit prolonged virus persistence, indicating potential for chronic infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of Ebola virus to generate defective interfering (DI) particles.
- To explore the establishment of persistent infections in tissue culture.
Main Methods:
- Serial undiluted passages of Ebola virus to induce DI particle formation.
- Establishment and maintenance of persistently infected cell lines.
- Analysis of minireplicon genome lengths and promoter regions.
Main Results:
- Serial passages led to evolving minireplicons with deletion and copyback rearrangements.
- Persistently infected cell lines were established, shedding infectious virus.
- No "rule of six" genome length was observed; minimal promoters identified at 3' termini.
Conclusions:
- Ebola virus can generate DI particles and establish persistent infections in vitro.
- DI particles may function as natural minireplicons for studying virus support functions.
- Findings contribute to understanding Ebola virus persistence and replication mechanisms.