Synthesis and expression of viral antigens in Vero cells persistently infected with Junin virus

Two Vero cell lines persistently infected with XJCl3 and Cl67 strains of Junin virus and named V3 and V7, respectively, have been characterized with respect to the presence and expression of the nucleoprotein (N) and the glycoprotein precursor (GPC) viral genes. After the acute phase of infection, where a marked CPE and high titers of virus were obtained, JV persistently infected cells became morphologically undistinguishable from Vero cells and virus production dropped to undetectable levels. V3 and V7 were resistant to the superinfection with antigenically related viruses. This fact could not be attributed to the presence of defective interfering particles or non-infectious virus in the supernatant. Expression of N was consistently detected in both cultures and accumulation of two degradation products of N was evident during the late passages. Although no G1 (main surface glycoprotein) expression was observed, a marked fusogenic capacity was detected in both cultures indicating at least, the synthesis of a GPC derived fusogenic glycoprotein. Cell lysates from V3 and V7 subjected to RT-PCR, using specific primers for N gene, or to a nested RT-PCR using specific primers for GPC (G1 region) confirmed the presence of both viral genes. No viral DNA sequences could be detected in JV persistently infected cells.