Genomic differences between strains of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus

The RNAs of two independently isolated strains of lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV), which differ antigenically and in neurovirulence for C58 mice, were isolated and T1 RNase fingerprinted. Of about 30 unique T1 oligonucleotides, 27 seemed to be common for both strains of LDV, whereas 2 or 3 oligonucleotides were unique for each strain. In other physical and biological properties, such as virion density, molecular weights of their structural proteins, interaction with mouse anti-LDV IgG, and replication in primary cultures of peritoneal macrophages from various mouse strains, the two strains of LDV were indistinguishable. The T1 RNase patterns and the affinity of LDV RNA for oligo(dT) indicated that it contained poly-A.