Thermostabilization of Inoue-Melnick virus by salt

Inoue-Melnick virus (IMV) was stabilized to thermal inactivation at 50 degrees C by 1 M Na2SO4 but not by 1 M MgCl2, 1 M MgSO4, 2 M NaCl, and 2 M KCl. The latter salts enhanced the inactivation over that in distilled water. Na2SO4 stabilized IMV at 1 M concentration but enhanced inactivation at 0.1 M. Three types of IMV were stabilized by 1 M Na2SO4 at 50 degrees C to almost the same degree. The pattern of the thermostabilization of IMV by salts was similar to that of herpes simplex virus; however, the degree of its stabilization was lower with prolonged heating.