Reovirus serotypes 1 and 3 differ in their in vitro association with microtubules

Utilizing negative-stain electron microscopy in which similar concentrations of reovirus types 1 and 3 are incubated with a carbon support film containing chick brain, rabbit brain, or HeLa cell microtubules, 81% of the type 1 and 56% of type 3 exhibited an association with the apparent "edge" of the microtubule. This implies that there is a high level of specific affinity for type 1 but not for type 3 to microtubules, since it has previously been determined that only 50% of randomly associated particles would be associated with the edge. The high edge binding of reovirus type 1 is virtually independent of the origin of microtubule, or of whether microtubules or virus has been initially adhered to the support film. On the other hand, reovirus type 1-specific antiserum reduced the edge binding or reovirus type 1 to 45%, whereas type 3 specific antiserum caused no less (within the variability of the assay) of the edge binding of reovirus type 1 to microtubules (76% edge bound). High edge binding of reovirus type 1 to microtubules is correlated with the presence of type 1 or sigma 1 polypeptide. This minor outer capsid polypeptide is encoded in the S1 double-stranded RNA segment and is the viral hemagglutinin and neutralization antigen. Recombinant reovirus clones containing the S1 double-stranded RNA segment of type 1 (80 and 802) show about 85% edge binding, as compared to a value of 42% for clones and the S1 gene of type 3 (204. Electron microscopy of purified reovirus types 1 and 3 by negative staining reveals that type 1 and 802 capsomers are distinctly visualized, whereas those of type 3 and 204 appear diffuse. Thus, the greater in vitro binding of type 1 to microtubules may reflect an increased accessibility of certain of its outer capsomers, and thereby, sigma 1 polypeptides to microtubules. Examination of its outer sections of reovirus type 1- and 3-infected cells at 24 to 48 h postinfection at 31 degrees C showed that about eight times as many viral factoris in type 1-infected cells exhibited an extensive association of virus particles with microtubules, as compared to viral factories of type 3-infected cells. Thus, both in vivo and in vitro there appears to be a greater specificity for the association of reovirus type 1 particles with microtubules, as compared to reovirus type 3 particles.